Hard to Love
by hp4evr123
Summary: As Christmas approaches and Alice reveals the newborns are coming, Carlisle calls in a favor with an old friend. Eleanor, on the cusp of discovering herself, travels to Forks to help protect the wolves for the upcoming battle. When Paul imprints on the lovable witch from New York, the lives of the wolves get turned upside down. Alternate timeline, imprint story, Paul/OC.
1. Prologue

**This is my newest imprint story :) It is set in a completely different universe from Safehouse, and so Summer and Colton do not exist. The timing is slightly different from the books, with the newborn battle happening just before/during Christmas break. Basically, all the events of New Moon are moved up three months or so. This shouldn't impact the story too much, but...yeah.**

**The title of the story comes from the country song by the same name. I don't own the song or the Twilight Saga, so no confusion there...**

**I hope you enjoy this new version of a witch. Let me know what you think!**

**Prologue**

I knew that being a witch in the world I lived in would be hard. I realized that actually engaging in magic would be even more difficult. From the beginning, I had been warned how life as a witch was a blessing and a curse. The warning from my grandmother had never seemed real to me; even as a child while learning spells, I had pictured an idyllic life. I imagined living in a cottage in the forest, helping the passerby, making a living off of making extracts and healing salves. I had never pictured taking a role in the supernatural, and certainly not in that of the vampires.

Yet here I stood, waiting at the edge of the forest during the battle. I could feel Emily's eyes on me from her kitchen window. Sue bustled around, Billy would be at the table, but Emily remained still, her eyes focused on the exposed mark on my left shoulder. The weight of her expectations was stunning. The well-being of the pack was no longer just on them as a group; I had begun to shoulder part of that burden. If one of them were harmed, it would be up to me to make it all better.

Playing doctor had never been one of my favorites as a child.

I watched the leaves on the trees change from bright, jade green and emerald to a softer, muted hue. As the sun began to set, the howling started.

My eyes turned anxiously back to Emily's face. Her anxiety matched mine, and we stared at each other, suddenly imprints hoping that it was a false alarm, that everything was okay. Emily suddenly looked past me, into the trees, waiting for someone to appear. Brady and Collin would know what was happening, they could warn me who was hurt and how badly.

The rustling in the bushes caught my attention. In place of a tall, tanned, shirtless Quileute, I was met with a short girl with pale skin and blood-red eyes. The scarlet orbs tracked the movements of my fingers as they twisted nervously. My heartbeat filled my ears, and as her tongue wet her lips, I released a keening scream.

My last coherent thought was that I was really going to miss my life.


	2. The Cullens

**Chapter One: The Cullens**

"Lawrence residence," I chimed into the phone cheerily.

"I'm looking for Cassandra," a low, masculine voice answered. I felt my cheerful smile slip into a slight pout.

"She's not in," I answered simply. The man on the other end sighed quietly.

"Is Rhea in?" the voice asked again. I felt my smile return.

"She's at work. Is there something I can help you with?" I asked politely.

"No, I don't think so," the man told me.

"I'm her granddaughter," I said before he could hang up. "Do you have a personal message for her?" I continued. My grandmother was a wonderful woman with multiple occupations. I had a feeling this was one of her special endeavors, and I didn't dare scare off her clientele.

"Oh, Eleanor," the man said, slightly surprised. "This is Carlisle Cullen. I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. You're much older now."

"Hi, Dr. Cullen," I told him sweetly. "I hope you're well. Nana's been talking about you lately."

"Really?" he asked. "How strange: I have a bit of a situation, and I was looking for assistance on treating shape-shifters. The situation is hypothetical, but sensitive to time."

"What are the specifics?" I asked, taking notes on the back of an envelope from the University of Washington with a chewed-down pencil.

"Like I said, hypothetical at the moment, but there's going to be a fight, and I want to be prepared to treat any injuries. Something strong, because morphine has been a struggle to use in the past, maybe even a serum to seal up deep wounds?" he asked. I hesitated.

"Out of personal experience, I wouldn't recommend not having someone around to assist. It could be potentially harmful to the shifter. What breed is this?" I asked. Dr. Cullen hesitated only a moment before answering me.

"Wolf," he said quietly. I felt myself stiffen. Wolves were some of the fiercest shifters there were, and the most difficult to heal with magic. Even wildcats were easier to treat.

"I'll have Nana call you back when she gets home. I don't want to give you the wrong information," I told the kind doctor hesitantly. I heard him chuckle softly over the phone.

"I would appreciate that, Eleanor," he told me.

"Okay, goodbye Dr. Cullen," I said. He responded with a farewell before we mutually hung up.

Nana returned in the late afternoon with a terrible migraine. I was told to look up serums and spells myself to treat wolves in her expansive grimoire collection and call Dr. Cullen back no later than the next morning. Nana went to bed, leaving me in the cramped home office with dozens of books surrounding me. I sifted through them expertly, having alphabetized, categorized, and made table of contents for every book in the past few years of my apprenticeship. Though my invocation itself had occurred at five, I had only been given free reign with my magic at fifteen. At seventeen, I was itching to help people, though I didn't want to screw up a shifter's life due to my inexperience with wolves.

By three in the morning, I had discovered six remedies that I thought might be helpful to the kind vampire doctor. I returned his call, knowing that the time sensitive issue would allow for such a late or rather early reply.

"Hello?" Dr. Cullen asked. His voice was smooth, perfect, and unaffected by the time. I was slightly jealous.

"It's Eleanor," I explained. "Nana had a migraine, so she asked me to look everything up for you."

"What did you find?" Dr. Cullen asked eagerly.

"Well, there are several spells to speed up the healing process even in shifters, but they would need to be performed by a witch. The serums are a bit complicated also, and need to be mixed on the spot. I don't see how this would work unless you have someone with you who can do this," I explained.

"Well, no, that was the reason I called in the first place," he admitted. I pursed my lips.

"I can ask Nana if she'll go to you," I suggested.

"No, no, you mustn't ask that of her," Dr. Cullen said immediately. There was a short pause as I hesitated.

"Well, I could do it," I offered. Dr. Cullen hesitated as well.

"I wasn't aware you were practicing, Eleanor," he told me, his voice slightly surprised. "I wouldn't ask this of you unless it was absolutely necessary, of course," he hedged uncomfortably. A smile slowly stretched on my lips. This was why Nana actually liked Dr. Cullen of all the vampires she had been exposed to: he was the kindest man in the world, immortal or not.

"It's no trouble, Dr. Cullen. I'll get a flight this afternoon," I explained. I took down his address and phone number once again to put into my cell before hanging up and promising to speak to him soon. After I packed several bags, I donned my uniform, got an extra-large coffee cup and filled it to the brim, and headed off to school.

Nana picked me up from school and began the quick drive to the airport. My flight was going to be a few hours long, and I had plenty of time to sleep, which I was excited about. Nana's migraine had only gotten worse overnight, and the sensitivity to light made it especially difficult for her to drive. We made it to the airport with an hour to spare until my flight. Nana helped me find my gate before kissing me goodbye, telling me good luck, and headed home.

I wasn't sure exactly how long I would be staying with the Cullens, so I packed enough clothes for two-weeks-time. My flight touched down in Seattle, where I boarded a smaller plane down to Port Angeles, a town just an hour's drive from Forks. At the smaller airport in Port Angeles, I was greeted by a smiling, blonde, good-looking vampire that I immediately knew to be the kind doctor.

"Dr. Cullen," I smiled. He grinned down at me.

"Hello, Eleanor. Please, call me Carlisle," he assured me gently. My smile brightened; I threw my arms around him. He returned my embrace after a shocked moment of stillness, but seemed to appreciate my warm gesture. "Well, let's get your bags," he decided as he led me over to the miniscule counter for baggage claim. He had no trouble at all with my two heavy suitcases and stuffed duffel, and made his way outside and to his car easily and gracefully. I slipped into the front seat of the Mercedes and Carlisle slid in on his side. The door shut softly, and we took off for Forks.

On the way, I was told a detailed account of the Quileute legends and the involvement of Carlisle's family in the matter. He explained the newborn army and the vengeful Victoria so I had a clear picture of all that I had before me. We pulled up to a huge white house on a river, complete with an enormous garage and a large garden. I slid out of the car, grabbed my duffel, and followed Carlisle inside. The rest of his family was assembled in the living room; one was human. Carlisle took my duffel gently from my shoulder as he placed it and my two suitcases at the foot of the marble staircase. He smiled and gestured to the vampires and human standing in the living room.

"Eleanor, I'd like you to meet my wife Esme, my sons, Emmett, Jasper, and Edward, and my daughters, Alice, Rosalie, and Bella," Carlisle told me with a hint of fatherly pride. Esme stood at his side and wrapped her arm around him. She beamed at me welcomingly.

"Welcome to our home, Eleanor," Esme told me.


	3. The Pack

**Chapter Two: The Pack**

I smiled. "Thank you for having me. It's so nice to meet all of you," I told her and them politely. I looked at Bella, taking in the only human in the room, the one that everyone was going nuts over to try to protect.

She was pretty, absolutely, with long, straight dark hair, big brown eyes, and pale, pretty skin, with a petite frame. Her lips stretched into a minor, half-smile when she greeted me, and she hadn't moved since. I felt compelled to speak with her, to understand the fear she must be going through with a vampire army coming to attack her friends and family. She would be feeling huge levels of anxiety. I glanced up at Edward, Carlisle had explained that he was a mind reader, and waited for him to react to my thoughts.

When Edward said nothing and just watched me as I watched him, I pursed my lips.

"I hate to trouble anyone, but I need to go visit the wolves," I hedged carefully.

"Of course," Carlisle told me immediately. "Edward can drop you and Bella off at the treaty line."

"Let's go," Edward suggested. I turned over to my bags and took out a notebook and sketchbook, some pencils, and followed Edward and Bella out to the shiny silver Volvo in the yard. We drove in relative quiet for a while before Edward looked at me through the rearview mirror. "So, Eleanor, Carlisle says that you're the granddaughter of Rhea Lawrence," he said.

"Yes," I confirmed softly. His golden eyes held mine in the mirror.

"And your mother, Cassandra, Carlisle knew her," Edward stated. I nodded.

"He and my mom knew each other pretty well," I admitted. Edward nodded and offered me a small smile.

"Since she was very young, if I'm not mistaken, and he knew Rhea the best of your family," Edward continued. I nodded to him, confirming what he had known all along. Edward pursed his lips, deep in thought.

"We're here," Bella explained as Edward pulled the car onto the shoulder of the highway. The three of us got out of the car, Bella hopped in Edward's seat and I took the passenger. Bella rolled down the window for Edward; he leaned in to the car and kissed her quickly.

"Be careful," he warned her softly. I pretended to not hear their whispers.

"Always," she murmured back. "I love you."

"I love you," he told her quietly. In a flash, he was gone, and Bella was driving into the wolves' territory.

"Where are you from?" Bella asked softly. I looked at her and smiled.

"New York City," I answered. Bella smiled slightly in response. I let out a long breath. "My grandmother has been training me since birth; I will be able to help if someone gets hurt. You just have to trust me."

"It's not your skills I'm worried about," Bella told me as we turned off of the highway onto a little dirt road. "It's their lives. They're putting themselves in danger for me, everyone is, and I don't like it." I nodded, understanding completely.

"You just have to have a little faith," I grinned as Bella put the car in park in front of an adorable two-story cottage in the middle of the woods. Two shifters loitered on the steps while another was walking in from the woods. Bella and I got out of the car, and I grabbed my notebook and sketchbook as we headed over. One of the shifters on the steps grinned at Bella and pulled her into a hug tightly.

"Hey, Bells," he greeted.

"Hey, Jake," she responded easily. She gestured to me. "This is Eleanor. Eleanor, this is my best friend Jacob." The other shifter stood slowly at Jacob's side.

"So," Jacob said, looking me up and down, and looking pointedly at my outstretched hand, ready to shake his. "You're the witch."

"So, you're the wolf," I retorted easily. My eyes widened tauntingly as I said it, and Jacob and the other shifter laughed immediately, easygoing once more.

"That's me," he grinned, shaking my hand. "Well, the best one at least."

"Yeah, right," the other said, knocking Jacob as he pushed him. He grinned at me, his smile wide. "I'm Embry; it's nice to meet you, Eleanor."

"Nice to meet you, Embry," I told him.

He gestured at the open door. "You can come inside."

Bella and Jacob led the way inside while Embry and I followed them.

"Emily!" Jacob and Embry chorused. A young woman turned from the counter in the kitchen and smiled. She grinned at Bella and then blinked at me, confused.

"Who's this?" Emily asked with a hesitant smile.

"This is the witch that Dr. Fang found," Jacob explained. Bella swatted him on the chest and he looked first at her, then at me, his eyes widening. "Uh, I didn't mean to…" he trailed off. I giggled.

"'Dr. Fang'?" I quoted. "You could at least get a little more creative than that."

"Hey, that is a quality nickname for the vampire doctor," another shifter defended easily.

"You say that because you came up with it, Quil," Embry rolled his eyes as he grabbed food from the plate Emily was bringing to the sunny kitchen table. I bit back my smile as the wolf named Quil jumped over to the table to swipe a muffin from the heaping plate. Emily smiled at me.

"Welcome to La Push," she told me. She gestured at the three teenage werewolves clustered around her kitchen table. "I think the rest of the pack should be coming in soon. Sam said he'd be home by now."

"Sam is Alpha?" I clarified. Emily smiled and Jacob and the two others nodded vigorously while shoving muffins into their mouths.

"Save some for your brothers," Emily reminded the three boys as she turned back to the counter. Bella went over to help her with something as Jacob glanced over at me and gestured to one of the chairs at the table.

"Come sit with us, Eleanor," he called easily. I smiled and move over to sit at the chair he indicated, and watched them as they slowly stopped eating Emily's muffins.

"So, where're you from?" Quil asked as he munched on a bright green apple. I smiled at him.

"New York City," I said easily. Quil nodded, impressed.

"Do you get drunk a lot?" a boy asked from behind me. He and his companion were slightly smaller than the mountains that Jacob, Embry, and Quil were, but they were still intimidatingly large.

"Do you go to wild parties and get high?" the other asked.

"Actually, no," I said with a sly smile. "That's mainly for tourists. I don't even like alcohol that much."

"Collin, Brady, make sure to wash your hands before you eat," Emily told them gently without turning around from the counter. They wordlessly trouped down the hallway to what I assumed was the bathroom.

"Emily," a voice said softly from the door. I glanced behind me to see who I assumed to be Sam, trailed by a few others as he strolled into the house and went immediately to Emily. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly for a second before pulling away and kissing the scars that marred her pretty face. I waited until he had pulled away from her before I cleared my throat softly to grab his attention. Sam looked at me for a moment before his eyes widened in recognition. He detached himself from Emily to offer me his hand. "I'm Sam. You must be Dr. Cullen's friend." I nodded.

"My name is Eleanor," I explained. Sam's eyes searched my eyes and face, then quickly once down my body before finally returning back to my eyes.

"You're…younger…than we expected," he stated carefully. I nodded.

"You're younger than_ I_ expected," I said, gazing up into his face. It was my turn to peruse the contours of his face slowly, deciding on his age. "You can't be more than twenty."

"Neither can you," he responded easily. I licked my top lip, biting back a smile.

"I'm seventeen," I told him, smirking. Sam's face revealed his surprise, though he wasn't shocked.

"Dr. Cullen said he was calling someone named Cassandra," Sam explained to me. I couldn't help my right eyebrow arching immediately at the mention of my mother.

"That's my mother. She's not available, and neither is my grandmother," I explained shortly. My chin rose defiantly. "If you want my help, you have it."

"Simple as that, no questions asked?" Sam inquired. His gaze narrowed. "We could be soulless monsters for all you know," he notified me simply. I grinned.

"But you're not, so…" I trailed off. Sam looked doubtful. "You're not the first group of shifters I've met." Sam seemed satisfied by my explanation and so nodded to my two pads of paper and pencils.

"How can we help you?" he asked me, officially welcoming me into his home. I shifted to gather the supplies carefully, and then gestured to the door.

"I need a model," I explained as I made my way to the porch. I felt Embry, Jacob, Sam, and Quil follow me out of the small house and outside. Bella hovered in the kitchen for a few moments more while Sam nodded to the three guys and allowed them to head into the woods to shift. I made myself comfortable on the porch steps, setting my sketch pad up as I selected a pencil carefully and waited for my subjects to emerge.

Sam hesitated for only a moment before sinking down beside me on the step and watching as I began a rough outline of the three horse-sized wolves, all settling differently.

"For healing spells, it's important to get proportions right. Height, weight, length, width, strength…they're all important in determining the dosage of a potion or the strength of a spell used," I explained to Sam as I began on the tallest, the reddish-brown one.

"Like…real medicine," Sam decided, making his own terms. I laughed lightly.

"Something like that," I said with a nod. I nodded to the reddish-brown wolf. "I'm assuming he's the biggest or one of the biggest."

"That's Jacob. He and I are the biggest ones; we're about the same size," he explained to me. I nodded as I sketched out Jacob, and began filling in details. Sam watched me work wordlessly, just breathing very quietly beside me. He didn't crowd me as I drew, which was a very good thing. I worked better when I didn't have someone breathing down my neck.

I finished with Jacob after about ten minutes and moved on to the next one. Sam distinguished between Embry and Quil for me, then called Collin out to shift, as he and Brady were the smallest. When I had sketched all that I needed, I began writing out names, ages, and sizes on my notebook, along with a short description.

"Leah, nineteen," Sam continued. I paused; my pen poised above the paper, hovering over the line the female shifter's name would take up. "She's the only girl we have," Sam explained to me shortly. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye.

"Every pack is different," I allowed quietly as I made the entry. Sam stiffened beside me. Although I knew we were alone on the porch, there was the barest of movements behind us in the house that alerted me to the presence of others. Their hearing would assure their ability to hear anything else I said.

"What do you mean by that?" Sam asked me seriously. I looked up into his brown eyes, troubled as they were by his pack's own personal problems.

"Exactly as I said; every pack is different," I explained softly. My voice, usually high with happiness, was pitched low with a serious undertone.

"You've met…female shifters before," Sam stated calmly, quietly, his eyes roving gently across my features. My lips tightened.

"Many, actually," I clarified softly. I gazed back down at my notebook. "None wolves, of course, but then again, I've only met a small pack of wolves in passing."

"When?" Sam asked curiously.

"Romania, several years back," I answered shortly. I licked my lips slowly as I stared out at the forest, searching their green depths for something that had been lost a long time ago. "Females aren't uncommon, they're special," I explained slowly, testing my words as I spoke them. "Traditionally, there are two or three per pack of ten. Mainly they mate with Alphas and seconds. When females have babies, they're usually the pride of a pack."

I stopped speaking abruptly. Sam seemed to notice my hesitation, but I quickly penned in Leah's age and waited for Sam's description. We continued on, and then stopped as I capped my pen after the last entry. I closed my notebook and sketchbook, tucked my pencils into their case, and placed them safely in Edward's car before I returned to the sunny kitchen of Emily and Sam's little house.

The others had arrived in my absence, and were all sitting around the kitchen and living room, eating and talking as they pleased. The lone female stared at me as I walked in, and I shifted my eyes to glance at Bella. She smiled at me from beside Jacob, and I grinned back in response. Embry and Quil offered me their seats, and I settled on Embry's lap to eat and watch them play cards. None of them were adept at poker.

"You should meet everyone, Eleanor," Jacob said when he gave up playing and tossed his cards on the table. The others followed suit and grinned at me. Jacob stood and I followed him into the living room. "So, these are Jared, Leah, Seth, you know Collin and Brady, hey-where's Paul?" Jacob asked as he looked around, confused.

"Went for a run," Jared said shortly. He grinned at me. "Where you from, witch-girl?"

"New York City," I answered good-naturedly. He nodded.

"How do you do all that witchy-woo-woo in the city?" Embry asked as he and Quil filtered in with Sam and Bella. They took seats around the room.

"It's not the 1700's, Embry," I said with a wink. "We won't be burned at the stake for a few parlor tricks."

"Don't you do big stuff though?" Seth asked. His wide brown eyes, filled with excitement and obvious joy, reminded me harshly of my younger cousins.

"Sure," I said with a dainty shrug. I perched on the sofa arm beside Jared. "But not in public, of course. I have a reputation to uphold."

"As what?" Jacob laughed. I smiled back.

"The goody-two shoes," I responded simply.

"Do other shifters imprint like we do?" Jacob asked suddenly. Everyone was quiet, focused suddenly on me as the tension mounted. I felt my back straighten slightly automatically as my eyes fell to my lap.

"Imprinting is just as ancient as the world and shifting itself," I began softly in the quiet of the room. "Over time, it has come to the attention of witches that these connections are much like the bonds of soulmates. It can't be proven, but it's generally accepted to be that way."

"Are you saying that we imprint because we're finding our soulmates…not to make stronger, bigger wolves?" Jacob asked skeptically. I shrugged lightly.

"Believe what you want. That's just what I've grown up with," I offered.

Bella's phone beeped in the silence that followed my statement. She sighed softly. "Alice and Carlisle are waiting for us at the border," she explained as she stood up. I followed her lead and stood from my perch on the sofa. Bella stopped as she was walking out the door. "They're all leaving tonight, so I'll probably be back," she told Jacob. He nodded.

"Is he dropping you off, or…?" Jacob trailed off, waiting for her answer. Bella shrugged.

"I'll call you," she said.

We slid into the Volvo and headed to the treaty line, where Alice and Carlisle were standing on the curb patiently, both smiling. They slipped into the backseat and Bella drove the winding roads back to the Cullen's house.

"So, Eleanor, did you get everything you needed?" Carlisle asked me easily. I turned around in my seat to smile at him.

"For the most part. I got all of the technical stuff down. Now all I need are some ingredients. Simple things that shouldn't be too hard to find around here," I explained.

"Like what?" Alice asked. I shrugged.

"Different things-I have what I need written down in my book at the house," I told her.

When we returned to the Cullen house, Bella departed to go cook dinner for her father while I stayed and began organizing my pictures into my grimoire and writing out all of the wolves and their sizes and descriptions. As I worked, Edward sat with me at their unused kitchen table and watched me for a long time. Finally, after I had transcribed all of the information into my thick grimoire, he spoke.

"I…can't read your mind," he admitted. I looked at him for a long time, cocked my head to the side, and dropped my guard. Edward gasped. When I put my guard back up, he blinked once, confused. "How did you do that?" he asked.

"I let you in," I answered him simply with a shrug.

"I can't read Bella's mind either," he admitted. I smirked.

"Then she must be keeping you out," I assumed. Edward looked unsure. "It can be unconscious," I elaborated.

"Where's your mother?" Edward asked me out of the blue. I looked up from the grimoire into his golden eyes, shocked. Edward's eyes remained focused on me, unwavering in their intensity.

"She left," I told him honestly, my eyes burning. "A while back."

"Do you miss her?" he asked me softly. I rolled my eyes and shut the grimoire.

"Does it matter?" I countered. Edward looked at me, lost. He shrugged.

"Guess not," he admitted softly. I folded my arms and rested my chin on them as I looked up at him. My fingers curled tenderly around the worn edges of my grimoire.

"How long have you been a vampire?" I asked him. He smiled at me, a brilliant, blinding white smile that was clearly amused. I waited patiently for an answer.

"A while," he echoed softly. I pursed my lips and waited. "I was born in 1901," he clarified with a dramatic eye roll. His smile, though, didn't dim.

"Do you find me amusing?" I demanded as he continued to smile at me. He chuckled.

"A bit," he said.

"Are you hungry, Eleanor?" Alice asked as she danced into the kitchen. "Edward's being rude," she chimed. I turned and smiled at her.

"I could eat," I admitted, patting my stomach. It growled, seconding my statement. Alice and Edward smiled.

"What would you like to eat?" Esme asked as she walked into the room. Her soft voice was like honey, smooth and sweet as she placed a cold hand on one of my shoulders.

"Whatever's fine," I said with a shrug.

After I had eaten, the Cullens prepared to depart for the evening. Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie headed out immediately while Edward, Carlisle, Esme, and Alice stayed behind, hovering over me. I heard a distinct automobile clunking outside, and Edward grinned.

"That'll be Bella," he said softly. Edward moved to the front of the house while I grabbed my large bag full of herbs, spices, spell ingredients, and trusty grimoire. Alice smiled at me brightly as I hoisted my heavy bag onto my shoulder.

"Bella's waiting for you outside," she explained lightly. I followed Alice out into the twilight, and hopped into Bella's rusty, growling truck. She and Edward were conversing softly on the other side, and I waited patiently while they kissed quickly and said their goodbyes.

"Okay," Bella said easily as she put the truck in gear and turned around in the expansive lawn to head back on the dirt road. "We're going to a bonfire tonight, and Jacob will take us to get your supplies in the morning. Do you know where you can get what you need?"

"Probably Seattle, but I'll settle for Olympia," I answered. Bella nodded, and we listened to soft classical music for the remainder of the drive into La Push. Bella drove over to Sam and Emily's house, where Jacob and Embry were waiting for us patiently. Bella turned off the truck, and I left my bag inside. Bella and I followed Jacob and Embry through the thick woods for several long minutes before the trees thinned and we headed uphill to some cliffs.


	4. The Imprint

**Sorry this chapter took so long-I wanted it to be perfect! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed! You're the best!**

**The Imprint**

Embry and Jacob kept up a lively conversation to entertain Bella and me while we headed up to the bonfire. Just as I began huffing a bit from exertion, I saw the glow of a fire up ahead, and sped up to keep pace with Jacob and Embry, who must have been related to mountain goats in human form.

The flickering fire was centered in a ring of worn logs that people were already seated around. Food was being passed around and eaten as the wolves quenched their appetites. Embry and Jacob led the way over to the area where Emily was serving up tons of hotdogs, hamburgers, and chips. I took a small plate from her with a smile, and Bella grabbed a plate and drink. We sat between Jacob and Embry on a long log bench and ate our fill.

After everyone had finished eating, Jacob's father told the legends of the tribe. Embry grinned at me through the legends and made mock-scary faces when the Cold Ones were brought up. I had to cover my mouth to hold in my giggle. At the conclusion of the story-telling, the three tribal elders left, and the wolves started their real party.

"Eleanor still hasn't met Paul!" Seth said excitedly as he hurried over to Bella and me. I smiled up at him from my perch on the log and laughed as he grabbed my hand and tugged me across the circle to where Jared, a girl who I assumed was his girlfriend Kim, Sam, Emily, and one other shifter were huddled. Seth bounced into the middle of the circle, interrupting whatever discussion they were in the midst of. "Eleanor, this is Kim, Jared's imprint. Kim, this is our witch, Eleanor," Seth babbled excitedly. I smirked at the possessive 'our' that slipped from Seth, and he glanced at me with wide eyes while I shook hands with a friendly-looking Kim. I rolled my eyes at Seth, letting him know that his slipup was okay. "Paul, this is Eleanor. Eleanor, this is Paul."

"Nice to meet you," I told the wolf with a smile. His eyes, bright from the light of the fire, flickered in his face, and he looked down at me as we shook hands. His eyes were black, deep, and had little flecks of what looked like silver. They reminded me of the clear night sky with stars shining inside. After a moment, Paul hadn't pulled his warm hand away, and I watched as his eyes glazed over just the slightest bit and his expression became a little dopey.

"Uh-oh," Seth said with a nervous chuckle. I tore my gaze away from Paul to look at Sam's startled face and Emily's o-shaped lips.

"Eleanor," Paul said with a silly smile. I looked back at him and everything suddenly clicked. Paul, the remaining member of the pack, had imprinted on me. Now, I was completely and utterly bound to the La Push wolf pack, whether I wanted to be or not. My will was no longer my own, and this wolf would be tied to me for the rest of eternity.

"Oh God! The womanizer finally imprinted!" Jared crowed out. His exclamation lightened the mood considerably, and nervous laughs were heard from around the fire. My eyes snapped to Jared, away from Paul. The hand still enclosed around mine tightened slightly, and my vision snapped back to his face.

"Shut up, Jared," Paul retorted easily. His eyes didn't leave my face, and I shifted, uncomfortable with his hand around mine and his eyes on my face. Paul, I guessed, sensed my discomfort, and dropped my hand but still watched my every move with a fast-growing adoration.

"Well," Jacob said easily, cutting the tension-filled night air. "I should get the girls home. We're waking up early tomorrow, right Eleanor?" he asked me. I shook my head to clear it and looked up at Jacob.

"Um…probably not. We don't have to leave until afternoon, but we need to get to Olympia for nightfall," I explained. I shrugged. "You can't buy witch things in the middle of the day, exactly."

"Why not?" Embry asked. I smirked.

"Well at least not up here. It's much easier to get supplies back home," I said. "Crazy city and all that," I supplied. Embry nodded, his expression thoughtful.

"Can I go tomorrow?" Paul asked suddenly. I looked at him, as did everyone else, surprised. He rolled his eyes at the surprised faces around him and looked at Sam for permission. Sam's eyes gazed at me for a long moment, seeming to debate how comfortable I would be with Paul's presence. I don't know what he found in my expression, but he agreed to Paul's request.

"Bella shouldn't go; it's safer for her here. You and Jacob can take Eleanor to Olympia," Sam decided.

"What's Bella going to do all day while we're gone?" Jacob asked logically. Sam glanced at Bella, and she rolled her eyes at Jacob.

"What I always do when you're not around: hang out with anyone at Emily's," she said simply. "I like hanging out with people other than you, Jake," she said with a smirk. She nudged him and he laughed.

"Ooo, burn!" Quil laughed.

"Yeah, okay, keep telling yourself that," Jacob retorted sarcastically to Bella. He nodded to me. "Come on, Eleanor," he said, still amused with Bella. I walked over to them, but Paul caught my hand. I glanced up at him. His eyes had followed Jacob to the tree line.

"Mind if I come by for a bit, Jake?" he asked tentatively.

"Uhh, it's up to Eleanor," he said with a hesitant grin. He was already leading Bella back down the slope to Sam's where Bella's truck was.

I scrutinized the suddenly shy wolf closely for a long moment. His head was down, chin tucked into his chest. The gesture was clearly stating that he was at my mercy, and he wanted to come with me badly. He needed me, I knew that, and he desperately needed to be close to me. I hardly knew him, but that was hardly an excuse.

"Come on," I offered, going after Bella and Jacob into the trees. Paul followed me silently.

As we walked through the downward sloping, pitch-black forest, Paul took my elbow and helped me over small obstacles like rocks and bushes that he could see and I couldn't. I allowed him to guide me along carefully, and when we reached the open area in front of Sam's house, he dropped my elbow slowly. I didn't have to look back at him to know that he was struggling not to take my elbow again. I could feel how much he wanted contact with me, no matter how innocent or simple it was.

Bella and I rode to Jacob's house in the cab of the truck while the guys easily took the bed. I tried not to shiver in the chilly cab, but Bella noticed immediately that I was cold and cranked her heater on.

Jacob's house was small, red, cute, and most importantly, warm. Inside the tiny living room, Jacob tossed me a homemade, woven blanket and told me to sit for a while with Paul. I collapsed on the sofa as Paul gingerly took a seat next to me. Bella grabbed some clothes and took a shower while Jacob ran out to do a quick perimeter patrol. I tucked the blanket up under my chin and reveled in its warmth before I looked at Paul. He was studying his hands, his fingers jumping nervously. His left knee popped up and down, it was a nervous trait that I was familiar with: I bounced my knees when I felt funny around new people.

"Well," I said softly as Paul's eyes snapped up from his hands to look into mine. I smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Paul."

"Nice to meet you, too, Eleanor," he whispered as he watched my face with a reverent silence. "So you're a witch," he said softly. I bit my lip as I grinned.

"So you're a wolf," I echoed softly. He laughed.

"Guess so," he agreed easily. I waited patiently for Paul to gather his thoughts. His eyes slowly took in my face. His lips parted. "Why are you here?" he asked shyly. I could just make out the faint pink tinge to his cheeks. He seemed embarrassed by his question but waited for an answer nonetheless.

"Carlisle called my grandmother and asked for help," I told him honestly. "She has a small shop back home, and she teaches a class at the university, so it would have been hard for her to get away." I paused. "My school is going on winter break in two weeks, so I can stay for a while. My teachers arranged for me to make up my midterms when I get back to school."

"You…don't feel the same about vampires as we do," Paul stated quietly. Lines across his forehead deepened as he thought. The look on his face was oddly...cute. His statement was phrased more as a question, and I smiled softly.

"Most witches don't like vampires," I admitted. "My grandmother is pretty tolerant, though. She's a lot more open than others. And Carlisle saved my mother's life, so…" I trailed off.

"How did Dr. Fang save your mother's life?" Paul asked, obviously confused. His face looked frustrated, as though he couldn't possibly imagine a vampire-even a gentle Cullen-doing something good.

"When she was pregnant with me, she had serious complications. She went into labor in the middle of the city, too. He found her and brought her home and treated her. If it weren't for Carlisle, either my mother would be dead or I would be dead. My grandmother feels obligated to repay the debt she feels she owes him."

"And you feel the same," Paul assumed, his face smoothing as he thought he understood. I shook my head, my expression turning thoughtful.

"No," I decided quietly. "I'm thankful for what Carlisle was able to do, of course, but I genuinely like him, and so does my grandmother. Vampires, whether we like it or not, are a part of this world, and hating them won't ever change the fact that they're here. I just don't see the point in hating people who can't help what they are. People like Carlisle-like the Cullens-they're good people. Sure they're vampires, but they're trying to go against their own natures to do the right thing. I think that's admirable. So, my interest is less in the debt my family owes theirs and more that I want to help genuinely kind people."

Paul stared at me for a long moment, and it was as if he spoke to me through his expressions or thoughts. I knew exactly what he was thinking, and I laughed lightly.

"You think I'm crazy," I said softly. Paul shook his head, unable to stop the grin from stretching his face into a pleasant smile. I decided immediately that his smile was nice-pretty even-and I liked it...a lot.

"You're not _crazy_," he specified. "You're just a _little_ weird." I gave Paul a look that stated I didn't think I was crazy, and he attempted to cover his tracks. "Weird is good-it's different. I like different," he offered nervously. I giggled at his discomfort. He was obviously trying hard not to step on my toes. I could see that trying to understand the witch business and my opinion on vampires at the same time was hard for him.

"That's okay. I know that my thoughts don't line up with the tribe and pack mentality," I told him easily. Paul smiled in response; he looked relieved.

"Ugh, all clear," Jacob groaned as he walked in the back door and shook rain from his hair. Jacob looked over to where Paul and I were sitting, huddled on the sofa. We were much closer than I thought we had been, and I scooted back from Paul's face to lean against the arm of the sofa as Jacob tried to hide a grin. He stretched his back and tore off his soaking wet t-shirt before disappearing behind a door in the hallway. Paul looked back at me with a small smile.

"He probably wants me to leave now," Paul decided as he stood up from the sofa. "And I should go get ready for patrol." In a gesture as easy and natural as breathing, Paul leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to my forehead. As he pulled back, I masked the shock on my face with a pleasant smile and watched Paul's face go from content to nervous and back again at my calmness. "I'll see you tomorrow," he told me. I nodded and watched him slip out the back door of Jacob's house.

"Did Paul leave already?" Jacob asked as he stepped out of what I assumed to be his bedroom, shirtless. He wore a pair of loose-fitting, low-slung black sweatpants. Bella stepped out of the bathroom, clad in a pair of sweats as pajamas, her hair wrapped up in a towel, turban style.

"He said that he had to get ready for patrol," I repeated to Jacob. He nodded and plopped down on the sofa beside me. I watched him toss his head back and shut his eyes tiredly.

"One of you can sleep in my bed, and the other can sleep on Rachel's bed," Jacob told us with a long yawn.

"Where are you going to sleep, Jake?" Bella asked as she unwrapped her hair and toweled it dry.

"Out here is good. You know I can sleep on any flat surface," he grinned.

"Are you sure?" I asked him. I looked at the sofa, then at his large form doubtfully. "I could fit on the sofa better, if you'd like a bed…"

"Nah, I'm fine. You girls need your beauty rest more than me," he grinned. Bella slapped his arm and rolled her eyes and I laughed at his joke. She headed off to Jacob's room while he led me over to what I assumed to be his sister's room. It was plain-and obvious she didn't live here-but it had a twin bed with fresh sheets and a thick comforter, which was all I needed. I smiled and thanked Jacob before collapsing on the soft mattress.


	5. Question and Answers

**I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. Hopefully anything that seems weird will be cleared up in the next chapter. Thanks for the reviews, I'm enjoying them! Keep them coming :)**

**Question and Answers**

The morning sun glinted off of something shiny in Jacob's sister's room and shone directly into my eyes when I woke up. I headed into the living room to grab my bag and then disappeared into the bathroom to wash the stench of bonfire from my hair. After my long hot shower, I dressed for the day in dark wash jeans and a thick black cowl neck sweater. I walked into the living room to find Bella dressed and making breakfast while Jacob was noticeably absent from the rumpled-looking sofa.

"Jake went on his morning patrol," Bella explained as she handed me a plate of eggs and toast. "He should be back in an hour." I nodded and sat down at the kitchen table with Bella to eat. After a while, we cleaned up the kitchen and then sat on the sofa to watch TV.

Jacob strolled in with Embry and Quil trailing behind him. They went immediately to the food Bella had left for them on the counter before walking over slowly to collapse on the two chairs and last spot on the sofa. Jacob threw his arm over the back of the sofa, his arm behind Bella's shoulders.

"How was patrol?" she asked him without looking away from the morning show on the television.

"Oh, _god_!" Embry groaned. "I am _never_ patrolling with Paul again. He couldn't get Eleanor out of his head! It was _nauseating_. I think you're great, Ellie, but this was worse than Sam gets over Emily."

"Give him a break," Quil said gently. "He met her yesterday. I was pretty bad with Claire a few weeks ago," he said softly. I looked back and forth between Embry and Quil before focusing on Embry.

"Did you just call me 'Ellie'?" I asked. Embry blushed so red that I could see it even with his dark tan skin. Jacob and Quil hooted with laughter.

"That's what Paul calls you in his head," Jacob explained. "It's easier for him to think. Your name's kind of a mouthful."

"I hate nicknames," I moaned as I covered my face with a pillow. The others laughed. I peeked out at them.

"You should tell Paul," Embry grinned, his voice laughing. "He wouldn't ever say 'Ellie' again…or he would try not to. Could you imagine that? Oh, the hilarity…"

"Paul can call me whatever he wants," I decided simply. Jacob looked at me doubtfully with a smirk.

"Hey, no fair!" Quil said with a laugh. "Why can't we shorten your name? It's so long!"

"My name is three syllables," I stated in my no-nonsense tone.

"That's two too many," Embry decided with a boyish grin. Jacob laughed just as there was a knock on the front door, and Paul tentatively walked in.

"Hey, man," Jacob greeted him with a smile. I could tell that he was trying to put Paul at ease. Paul nodded to him and glanced at me. "You can come and hang out with us if you want."

Paul's face literally lit up as he made his way over to sit at my feet. His actions made him seem like an eager puppy to me, which was something that immediately turned me off. I stood and looked at Paul. He understood, took my seat, and I settled in a light perch on his knees instead of him taking the floor.

"So, where are we going in Olympia today?" Jacob asked as Paul settled on the sofa and looked up at me. I bit my lip as I looked back at Jacob carefully.

"Well…" I started tentatively. "If my previous experiences are any indication, we're going to the bad parts of town. You know, hookers, booze, and drugs."

I felt Paul's muscles tense beneath me. He would not be happy with me anywhere near those things.

"Why?" Jacob demanded, his brow puckered in confusion.

"Witches like to stay out of the nice parts of town. Besides, most find more work in the less savory areas. There are more problems to fix."

"Like what?" Bella asked, her brown eyes alight with curiosity. I smirked.

"Oh, you know…just…things." I purposely didn't answer her question. I knew that Edward wouldn't be too pleased if I revealed any of the many things witches could do to Bella's sensitive virgin ears. He was way too overprotective, but I liked the Cullens' hospitality, and I didn't want Edward to give me the cold shoulder for however long I was here, so…

Paul's warm hand pressed against my back, calling my attention to him. I turned and looked into his deep, black eyes and waited for him to speak. His voice was a low, deep rumble, and sent tingles through my chest.

"Olympia is a nice city. We're going to have to go to the slums in the suburbs."

I watched Paul for a long, intense moment, examining him with my other senses. So far, he had been nothing but helpful and concerned for my safety. If it wasn't so endearing, he would be irritating me. I could definitely hold my own with other witches-my grandma's training exercises had proved as much in the past. Protecting Jacob and Paul was the main priority that would take the real effort; they had to be as inconspicuous as possible: not exactly the easiest job when they both had muscles the size of my head and height that towered over almost any human. Not to mention their heat and tattoos, which were dead giveaways as shifters to any intelligent witch.

"You're worried about me," I laughed, my face instantly lifting into a cheerful smile. It was nice to have someone worry in a way; my grandmother hadn't worried about me since I had turned ten and knew how to send another witch running. "It's you and Jacob we need to worry about; any semi-experienced witch will spot you three miles away. And we have to make sure you both appear respectful to the other…creatures around. You both need to dress nicely. And you need to cover your neck."

"Cover our necks?" Paul asked doubtfully. I nodded as I looked down at him.

"I'm going to have to draw something on you, too," I admitted with a shrug. Paul, Jacob, Bella, Quil, and Embry were looking at me as if I had three heads. I licked my lips and just blurted out one of my deepest secrets. "Witches have marks."

"Marks," Bella tried out, tasting the word. I nodded slowly.

"When we get to be a certain age, our powers begin to define themselves more. We kind of specialize, in a way. My Nana specialized in earth magic, which is healing and plants and stuff like that. My Maw-Maw specialized in prognostication-."

"What's that?" Quil asked quickly, cutting me off.

"She can see the future," Bella interrupted before I could answer. I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah," I agreed.

"Like the little leech," Jacob said, nudging Bella.

"Her name is Alice," Bella clarified, her tone colder than I thought her capable of. Jacob scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"So…marks?" Jacob asked. I nodded and stood to take off my sweater. Quil whistled and Embry knocked him off his chair. My cami covered my torso, and I bared the intricate, winding black mark that covered my shoulder blade. I slipped off the strap of my cami and bra and pulled my hair to the side to let them see it better. The left side of my body felt naked, but I waited until Paul handed me my sweater before I restored my clothes to their original position and sank back onto Paul's lap.

"What does it mean?" Bella asked softly.

"It's a Witch's Mark," I said quietly. "Once you specialize, you make your own. Well, your body makes your own."

"What have you specialized in?" Bella asked logically. I shook my head.

"I haven't yet. You keep the mark of the witch that trains you on your left shoulder. When I specialize-_if_ I specialize-I'll grow a mark on my right shoulder. They usually intertwine across the back, under the neck."

"_If_ you specialize?" Jacob asked, catching the next detail I let slip.

"Some witches don't," I explained softly, my tone going a little sad. I felt my eyes water immediately and blinked rapidly to diffuse the tears. The thought of not specializing-of living in disgrace-was too much to bear.

"Some?" he prodded. I looked up into Jacob's eyes, away from my twisting fingers. I felt Paul's hand cover both of mine, trying to comfort me.

"Some," I repeated softly. I shook my head. "Look, if we're going, we should start getting ready. You both need to shower and get dressed and I have to get dressed, too."

"What are we wearing, again?" Paul asked as he and I stood up together.

"Nice jeans, no rips; a button-down shirt, preferably a dark color; a scarf or something to cover your neck, like a high collar on a coat."

"Um…okay," he said, furrowing his brows. I pursed my lips and quirked them to the side in thought.

"We can stop on the way up and pick something up. Just get back here so I can get those designs on your faces; they might take a while."

* * *

Half an hour later, Paul had returned to sit with Jacob in the living room while I finished up my makeup. I had done the basics; base, blush, eyeliner, and had only just finished the pale smoky eye and pink lip. I slipped a cami, long-sleeved shirt, and a black leather jacket on with my jeans and favorite black boots before I pulled my long dark hair into a bun securely and placed a blonde wig carefully over the top. I tucked the loose black strands under the long, curly blonde wig, and examined my face in the mirror; I looked okay as a blonde, and the bangs hid my dark eyebrows, but the getup was still as stretch.

I walked into the living room, shocking Jacob, Paul, Jared, Embry, and Bella.

"Um…you do realize that your hair is a different color…right?" Jared asked me carefully.

I couldn't hold back my grin. "Yes. I do realize that. I have to go in disguise; I don't want anyone giving us trouble because of who I'm related to."

They all stared at me, confused.

"Witches know your bloodline based on the combined hair and eye color. I don't want them to know my bloodline. I'll put blue contacts in when I'm done fixing these two."

They still didn't get it, and I didn't blame them. What witch should have to hide who she is? A careful one, and I was not taking any risks with Paul and Jacob.

"Come on, Jacob," I said, sitting cross-legged on the floor. I patted my lap. He lumbered over to where I sat and waited awkwardly for me to tell him what position to get in. "Lay down and put your right cheek in my lap." Jacob, blushing the whole way, did as I told him. I uncapped my waterproof 24-hour wear marker eyeliner and began drawing a series of swirling marks on his face. The mark was a general mark that most originated from, and would head off most witches with a glance. I didn't want to go with a dangerous mark, for fear of any witch rising to a "challenge", and I didn't want to go too wimpy, either, and appear vulnerable. The general mark seemed like the best option.

Jacob held absolutely still as I penned the design on his left cheek as quickly as I could without messing up. When I was finished, Jacob rolled off of my lap and stood, raising his hand to pat his cheek.

"STOP!" I yelled. He jumped, his fingers nearly brushing his face in the process. I glared. "Do not touch it. Do not brush it. Do not think about going near it. That thing has to last you all day and night, got it?" I demanded fiercely. Jacob nodded, eyes wide with shock, and he reclaimed his seat next to Bella on the sofa. I gestured Paul over and he settled in my lap in the same position Jacob had.

I did Paul's a little quicker than Jacob's, used to the motions now, and then patted both of them down with translucent powder to keep the makeup on as long as possible. When they were finished, I popped the blue contacts in and sprayed an awful, sweet-smelling body spray over me, masking my scent. Paul and Jacob coughed and choked, eyes watering, and wrinkled and rubbed their noses at the strong perfume.

"Sorry," I told them both simply. I dug around in my bag and pulled out my wallet and phone, and nodded to them. "Let's go."

"See you later," Bella said, hugging me and Jacob. She nodded at Paul, and then looked at Jacob, eyes serious. "Be careful," she pleaded. Jacob immediately grinned.

"Sure, sure," he agreed. Bella rolled her eyes, went out the front door, and started her truck. Embry and Jared went and climbed in the bed, and Jacob locked up the house behind Paul and me. The three of us piled into Jacob's Rabbit, Paul in the backseat and me in the passenger, and we got on the road heading out of La Push and towards Olympia.


	6. Olympia Adventure

**Thank you so much for the lovely reviews :) They have truly helped me along with writing.**

**Olympia Adventure**

The highway seemed to fly beneath the wheels of Jacob's car. I wasn't sure if he was going the speed limit or not, but I couldn't bring myself to care. Paul hadn't said much of anything from the backseat, but Jacob kept up an easy conversation with me from the front. We talked about the weather, school, and what life was like in a small town, since I couldn't even imagine. I told him a little about my life in the city, when prompted, but mostly left it a mystery.

When we made it to the city limits, Jacob slowed the car dramatically as Paul began giving him directions to where he thought it would be best to start based on my descriptions. We drove around for half an hour before I saw a prostitute standing on a street corner. The red light made her pale face glow a ghostly red, illuminating her harsh mask and scowl. Her long dark hair fluttered in the breeze, and her skimpy outfit was just enough to make her shiver from cold.

"Stop the car. Pull over," I told Jacob quickly, my eyes not leaving the prostitute. Jacob slowly pulled over across the street from the prostitute. The intersection was desolate, and one stray car passed in front of us. The prostitute stared after it longingly. Paul began to protest as I unbuckled and grabbed my purse from the floor of Jacob's car. "Relax, Paul," I ordered him calmly. "I know what I'm doing."

I headed across the empty street slowly, not wanting to scare the girl away. As I neared her and her features came into focus, I realized how I had lucked out; she looked to be around my age. A twisted smile graced her lips as I neared her. A cigarette smoked in her fingers, the glow of it pulling me further in.

"Can I help you, honey?" she simpered. She eyed Jacob and Paul behind me, in the car, with interest. She turned her lifeless blue eyes back to me. "Looks like you have a party going on."

"Actually, I want something else," I told her calmly, in a measured voice. I knew the best way to deal with women like her was to give it to them straight, get what you paid for, and move on as fast as you could. "I want a lock of your hair."

Her eyes turned from dead to confused. She had never had a request quite like this before.

"A lock of my hair…you don't need anything else?" the tone of her voice was that of someone trying not to be hopeful. Her eyes began to glisten.

"I'll give you a hundred dollars."

"I think you're crazy, honey, but I'm not complaining," she told me with a light laugh. Her voice was hoarse though, and I knew she was holding back tears. I grabbed my wallet from my purse and a pair of scissors. I handed her a crisp one hundred dollar bill, and she turned expectantly for me to cut a lock of her hair.

For a prostitute standing on a street corner, she was amazingly clean. Her hair wasn't greasy or smelly; it was clean and smelled a lot like coconut. I lifted her heavy hair to the side and snipped right by her scalp behind her right ear, taking a lock about an inch across. She turned around and smiled at me, tearing her eyes away from the bill to do so.

"You have a nice night, honey," she simpered at me with a genuine grin. I smiled in response, replaced the scissors and wallet in my purse, and tied a knot in the strand and slipped it inside a separate pocket. I fished a thick sweater from my bag and handed it to her.

"Just wear this while no cars are passing," I told her. She nodded and pulled the sweater over her head, snuggling into the warmth it provided.

"You be careful out there, honey," she reminded me as I began to cross the street back to Jacob's car. I turned, smiled, and nodded at her, and then climbed in the warm vehicle.

"I don't have any idea what you just did, but you are not allowed to do it again," Paul decided firmly with a scowl. I rolled my eyes as Jacob began to drive again, and I pointed him in the direction of a more populated area of town. We drove around for a while, wandering aimlessly through the busy streets, until I finally found the place, and told Jacob to park.

We walked down the street, and Jacob and Paul seemed to have some unspoken agreement that they would walk on either side of me and frighten off anyone who so much glanced our way. They looked like enormous bodyguards, which didn't help us blend in any. As we neared the small club labeled _Eleventh Hour_ I turned to the two guys and started spouting off my rules and warnings.

"Okay, before we go in there, you two need a lesson in witch etiquette 101," I decided. They looked at me doubtfully and I rolled my eyes. "We are walking into someone else's territory; you need to show the proper respect. One, don't look anyone in the eyes. Anyone in there will take it as a challenge, and we are not challenging anyone. Paul," I said, looking at him. He widened his eyes innocently.

"What?" he asked. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Seriously. If someone touches me in there, I have to know you aren't going to try to rip their arms off. I'm a big girl, alright? I can take care of myself. What I can't do is watch my back and yours and Jacob's backs, okay?" Paul didn't look happy about agreeing, but he did. "Second, don't touch anything. I mean anything-walls, people, doors-I'll do all the touching. Don't even sit down if someone offers you a chair unless you see me sit first."

Jacob and Paul looked weirded out by my second rule, but they nodded.

"And three, don't eat or drink anything anyone gives you-not even me," I warned them darkly.

I had sufficiently creeped them out at this point, and I was confident that they would heed my advice and follow the rules. With that said, I led them into the _Eleventh Hour_.

* * *

Everything in the club was dark and polished. We had walked in with no problems after the bouncer took a look at Jacob and Paul's markings, and I had breathed a sigh of relief that we had gotten past checkpoint number one. I led the way deeper into the pulsing club, and Paul's fingers latched on to mine to keep track of me in the thick crowd of people. Jacob bustled behind Paul to keep up, and the three of us rested a minute as we walked up to the quieter part of the club, where the restrooms were, along with a third unmarked door at the end of the short hallway.

"Stay here," I murmured as I slipped into the door on the left into the ladies' room. I walked purposely over to the mirrors and checked my wig, making sure it was in place. I took one last cursory glance at my contacts, noting that my eyes weren't red just yet from the invasive disks, and headed back outside. I nodded at Jacob and Paul, and stepped up to the unmarked door.

Three short raps from my fist made the thin door shake. It slowly opened to reveal a girl of about twenty, with white blonde hair and dark brown eyes. Her skin was eerily pale and I pushed my chin up with confidence. She rolled her eyes.

"Yasmine, let the girl in," an older woman called from inside. The blonde girl huffed and pulled the door open just wide enough for me to squeeze in with Paul and Jacob in tow. Yasmine slipped out, a frown etching her porcelain face.

"Hello, dear, come inside please," an old woman called from the corner. The room was painted red, and there were two doors behind the table were the woman sat. The table was covered in a red and gold cloth with four crystals on top. The woman sitting behind it was small, pale, with deep wrinkles around her eyes, nose, and mouth, and had white hair pulled into an orderly bun on the top of her head. Her gnarled hands were adorned with several silver rings, and a gold wedding band on the appropriate finger. Her eyes, though, were the giveaway. Milky white covered the soft lavender irises. This woman was a blind seer; a stereotypical fortune teller. I smiled and walked over immediately to shake her hand.

"You seek assistance," she said softly. The pulsing beat of the club didn't seem to touch this room; though the loud colors made my eyes throb, it was still an island of peace in the obnoxious club. "Two protectors; my, child, are you frightened?"

"I'm not afraid. They worry over me," I explained in a soft voice.

"Please sit," the old witch stated calmly. There was a high-backed wooden chair that was similar to the one she was sitting in, and several folding chairs leaning against the wall in the corner. I gestured for Paul and Jacob to grab the folding chairs while I took the wooden one. "How can I offer assistance?"

"I'm looking for some rare ingredients," I explained. "I need oil of mescalero pennyroyal, petals of anemonella, and powdered trillium."

"I have those," the witch smiled. The corners of her lips turned down once more. "Those plants cost a great deal, child."

"I'm prepared to meet your price," I explained softly.

"Hmm," she hummed quietly in the silent room. She tapped her long fingernails against the table. "I would think a fair price would be…three hundred dollars…and a lock of hair."

"Very well," I agreed, internally smirking. Blind witches were especially greedy for hair, since it was something they could touch and feel so easily. "I have it all right here. May I see the ingredients before I pay for them?" I asked politely.

"Of course." The woman sounded offended that I had even asked. She stood from her seat and disappeared gracefully behind door number one. She returned with two small vials and one small jar. I glanced at the plant products quickly and approved.

I fished the lock of hair and money from my purse quickly, and the old witch slid the glass containers across the table carefully. I placed the money and hair in front of her death-still hands before collecting my purchases into my purse.

"Thank you very much for your help," I told the witch calmly. Anxiety began to roll through me suddenly as she counted the payment, her mouth moving silently as she fingered the three bills and the lock of hair.

"Very nice doing business with you, child, but is there anything else you want? I'm a gifted seer, I'm sure you've noticed."

"I'd rather leave my future as it is," I told her firmly.

"Surely one of your protectors…" she hinted. My voice took on a steely edge, razor sharp in defense of Jacob and Paul.

"The three of us are leaving now. Thank you for your hospitality."

We stood, and Jacob and Paul replaced the folding chairs as we headed to the door.

"Be careful, my child," the old witch warned, her voice eerily breathy. "Those shifters will tear your life apart." I looked back, and noticed that her eyes had cleared, revealing bright lavender irises unclouded by her blindness. She couldn't see me or the boys physically, but she didn't have to.

"Thank you," I told her firmly. Her advice sounded terribly like a prophecy. I turned towards the door.

"Beware the pale ones, child," she intoned. I looked back, but she was smiling, and the milky look in her eyes had returned.

"Let's go," I told the guys, pushing gently on Paul's side to get him out the door.

We walked past Yasmine, and she glared at us the whole way back to the room. My eyes followed hers, locked in a glare, until she disappeared behind the unmarked door.

**Okay, I'm going to try something new, and ask some questions for the people reading the story. If you could answer the following questions (you can answer as many/few as you like) in a review, that would be super and very helpful!**

**Does Eleanor feel like a Mary Sue? If so, how?**

**Are the descriptions of the settings/what's going on/etc. detailed enough?**

**Is anything so weird that you have no idea what's going on?**

**Are you enjoying this so far, and what is your favorite part?**

**Thanks guys, this will really, really help :)**

**And for those of you who love Paul's hot temper, I promise it's coming up. He's just getting used to having an imprint right now-he's still just a bit shocked.**


	7. Aftermath of the Adventure

**Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm so glad everyone is enjoying the story so far! I like Eleanor a lot, too :)**

**Special thanks to sammigirl23 for answering my questions! That was a huge help! And I'm so glad you noticed the imprint thing. The more I thought about what you said about her not obsessing over it, the more I liked that part of what I had-inadvertently-done. I know what Eleanor will be feeling in the coming chapters and story, and I didn't realize all that I was incorporating so early on. Gold Star for noticing and giving me the best review I've gotten for this story! This chapter is for _you_!**

**Aftermath of the Adventure**

"What did she mean, that 'those shifters will tear you apart'?" Paul asked. We had stopped in a city not too far from Port Angeles for a midnight bite to eat. Jacob had gone to the bathroom after stuffing his face, and Paul was sitting across from me, clean plate pushed to the side, watching me push the remains of my food around my plate.

I sighed heavily. Witch-prophecy was one of the things I was not going to enjoy talking about with anyone-especially Paul.

"Of course you caught that," I muttered darkly as I fixed my stare on my dinner roll and slowly tore it to pieces. When it had been sufficiently shredded over my mixed vegetables, I brushed the crumbs from my hands and looked directly into Paul's eyes.

"Was she…talking about us?" Paul asked. I knew immediately that he was using the pack plural. The plural was something I noticed in all of their speech patterns, and it seemed to pop up quite a bit in even casual conversation.

"Well," I hesitated. Jacob rejoined us, sliding into the large booth next to Paul. He fixed his eyes on me as well, and I blushed under the double scrutiny I was receiving. "You aren't the only shifters I've met. It…could be anyone."

"Don't you know what she meant?" Jacob asked, confused. I rolled my eyes.

"She was very cryptic. Most of witch-prophecy ends up that way, whether the witch tries to be secretive or not." I paused, contemplating what else I wanted to say. Telling them too much could freak them out, or worse, put them in danger. Witch-hunters hadn't died out in the 1700s. Despite my joke with Embry, any knowledge of witches could make one a target, and I wasn't sure how advanced hunters were…

I was worrying over nothing, I knew.

"My Maw-Maw isn't as cryptic as that witch was, but my Maw-Maw has always been exceptionally good at her craft." I thought back on the past few years. "She knew that Carlisle would be calling because of a newborn army."

"She didn't think to warn him?" Jacob asked. Paul was silent, his dark eyes focused on me. I could feel his heat-filled gaze roaming over my face before settling on my eyes. The contacts were beginning to burn.

"Well, she isn't a clock, Jacob," I told him with an eye roll. "She can predict the future, sure, but she isn't Father Time."

"Does he exist, too?" Jacob asked doubtfully, confusion marring the normally harsher look on his face. I laughed suddenly at his innocent question, driven to giggles over the silliness. Jacob, I could tell, hardly appreciated my amusement, but Paul was definitely pleased that Jacob had triggered a giggle. "Well I didn't know," he protested when I had managed to stifle my laughing a little. "We didn't think witches existed, and here you are…"

"Father Time is a myth," I confirmed to Jacob. My eyes began watering, reminding me once again that I was not comfortable with contacts-which was the reason I wore glasses when necessary-and I needed to get these things _out_ of my eyes before I popped a capillary or something.

I rubbed my eyes, feeling the mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow smearing beneath my fingertips, and not caring because of the burn on my eyes. I touched my inflamed eye and yanked, dislodging the first contact. It popped out into my palm and I flicked it onto the table. I rubbed my free eye in relief and blinked rapidly to push back tears. My left hand sought out my left eye, going for the second and last torment. I reached in gingerly to pluck it out, but without a mirror, and the clumsiness that accompanied my rush, I poked my eye and practically set it on fire.

My fingers clawed desperately at my flaming eye while Jake let Paul out of their side of the booth. Paul, I knew, was yelling my name as he slid in beside me and pried my hands from my face. He blew carefully onto my face, cool hair mixing with his hot breath that just didn't quell the fire.

"Is she okay?" I heard our perky waitress ask. With my one good eye, I noted her worried expression. Paul was trying desperately to pinch the bothersome contact out, but his monstrously large hands caused him to fumble constantly, and he was unable to even get his large fingers close enough to the contact to pull it out. "Why don't I try?" she suggested, sounding slightly panicked. Paul nodded frantically and nearly hurled himself away from me to scramble out of the booth. He took the waitress's tray from her and all but pushed her in beside me.

Her cool hands on my face were soothing as she carefully lifted the contact-more like spike-out of my eye.

"Thanks," I breathed it relief, covering my eyes with both hands like a small child. I was comforted to know that they were still there, and hadn't turned into melted puddles of yuckiness in my eye sockets.

Jacob and Paul threw money on the table and herded me out to the car. Paul practically carried me, the way he guided me through the parking lot.

I curled up in the backseat on the ride back, using Jacob's various sets of extra shorts and sweats as a nest to hibernate in. I managed to slip on a pair of pajama pants and strip out of my jeans and uncomfortable top and into a warm sweatshirt. The wig came off with a similar sense of relief, and I uncoiled my hair just as hurriedly. There was no better feeling than stretching in my very own skin again. I wasn't sure if Jacob and Paul switched on the way back to Forks or not; I was that out of it. I woke up when we were pulling up to the Cullen mansion. The bright morning sun stabbed into my tender, sensitive eyes, and Jacob towed me carefully out of the backseat.

"Eleanor!" Alice sang from the porch. I squinted at the approaching vampire, and felt Paul and Jacob tense on either side of me. I almost rolled my eyes, but they were still aching just to be open. "What happened! Are you okay?" her high voice demanded anxiously. I barely saw her turn an accusing glare to the wolves, but I held up a hand to stop her from doing anything else.

"I'm allergic to contacts, and I wore them anyway. Can you grab my stuff? I just want to sleep," I admitted as I trudged forward. Alice was already moving to catch me as I swayed on my feet. I still felt like I was in a moving car.

"Sure," Alice told me…I think.

* * *

When I woke up, it was late afternoon. I was in the bedroom that I was staying in at the Cullen house, smack in the middle of the bed. I was splayed on my back, arms and legs thrown out in every direction, and had a throw blanket on top of me. I knew that I had not moved in my slumber for several reasons. First, I never slept on my back-ever, it was way too vulnerable; second, I always had at least a comforter over me; third, I normally curled into a ball.

I managed to sway downstairs without damaging myself, to where I saw breakfast waiting for me on the counter. I dug in immediately to the eggs that had been set out and paused to smile at Esme only when I noticed her walk into the kitchen from the living room.

"Paul has been calling for you all day," Esme informed me nonchalantly. "He's worried about your eyes."

I nodded as Esme slid the phone across the counter to me, along with a post-it note with neat black block letters spelling Paul's name, with an unfamiliar series of numbers below it. I examined the paper critically, analyzing the numbers. Once satisfied, I crumpled the note and dialed the number. Paul picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?" he asked. His voice was normal but with an edge of panic. He was obviously waiting for me to call back.

"Well, I'm alive," I pronounced into the phone. My voice was groggy, and I rubbed my eyes, attempting to rub the soreness away. At least they weren't on fire anymore.

"How are your eyes?"

I stepped across the room to where a piece of art was on the wall: a collection of circular mirrors, varying in sizes and connected by wrought iron. Inside one of the smallest mirrors, about the size of a makeup compact, I looked at my bright, wide gray eyes carefully. The irises were my normal gray, but the whites of my eyes were red, making me look like a drug addict. The makeup circles didn't help any; I resembled a deranged raccoon.

"I need to wash my face."

Paul's answering laugh let me know that he was calming down considerably. Which was a very good thing.

"Can you stop by Emily's today?" Paul asked me softly, hesitantly. I frowned.

"I have some things to do today; I'm sorry. Maybe another time."

"Oh."

His response sounded less energetic, but not downright depressed. I took that as a positive.

"Well, I have work to do; I'll talk with you later."

"Yeah, later…" Paul trailed off. I hung up the phone without another word and picked up my dishes.

I had a long day ahead of me.


	8. Work, Work, Work

**Thank you for all the lovely reviews! I am so, so, so excited to be getting such a positive response for this story!**

**I would like to say this is probably my proudest chapter. I put in some witch elements that I thought up on my own, and I really like the way they turn out.**

**Work, Work, Work**

"Eleanor?" a voice called. Through the haze of my careful measurements, I pulled myself out of focus and back into relative reality.

"Yes, Edward?" I asked as I turned to my half-open door. "Bella?" I acknowledged.

"What are you doing?" Bella asked casually as she nodded in the direction of my mortar and pestle, various glass bowls, and tiny glass vials.

"Making serums and drops."

"What are drops?" she continued. I pursed my lips in contemplation and turned to dig around in my black hole of a kit. I produced a glass vial and held it up for her inspection.

The sapphire blue liquid swirled around in its container, almost pulsing with life. This particular form of drops could give the effects of being high to someone, without addictions or side-effects…well, relative side effects.

"Want to try some?" I asked lightly. Most drops were used medicinally, which was why I was making them, as a numbing agent. The sapphire-blue ones, however, were purely recreational.

"What are they?" Bella asked curiously as she took a seat on my neat-as-a-pin bed. I hated messes when I was working; I found it impossible to concentrate.

"Drops," I answered simply.

"What will they do?" Bella asked curiously as I handed her the small bottle. She turned the container around carefully in her hands, examining the moving liquid inside.

"Try them or not; I don't care," I shrugged and turned back to my measurements.

"No thanks," she sighed. I glanced over and caught the tail end of Edward's firm head shaking. I bit back my smile and took the small bottle back from her to tuck back inside my kit. They lapsed into silence as I resumed measuring my ingredients out carefully before I mixed and mashed them together. They had to be left outside overnight to cure before I could finish them off. The serums were more difficult to make, but had a bigger effect; they sealed up cut wounds and healed anything and everything beneath the skin within two hours.

"Did you need something?" I asked as I finished up what I needed to do for the drops. The ones I had made for the pack could probably knock a grown human man out for days, if not kill him instantly. Shifters could not only take more; they needed more to gain the full effect.

"Not anything in particular," Bella admitted as she examined some of the personal items I had placed around the room. She studied the framed photo of my Nana and me, the fist-sized crystals lined up along the windowsill, and lastly, my small dreamcatcher that I had hung on a small pin in the wall over the headboard of my bed. "Do you have nightmares?" she asked softly. I arched an eyebrow.

"Not right now," I explained, nodding at the dreamcatcher. Bella blushed, and turned around, searching wildly for Edward. "He left after you agreed not to take the drops," I informed her softly. Bella sank onto the bed, sitting with crossed legs. I pursed my lips as I watched her face change from a normal expression to a pained one. "Why are you so worried? Don't you have confidence in them?" I hedged, sinking onto the soft mattress beside her. Bella looked up with wide eyes, surprised by my question.

"Well, I know that they're well trained; Jasper seems to know what he's doing. The others, though…" she trailed off. "They're so young and…human."

"Bella," I laughed, amused. "They're anything but-they're _shifters_." She glared at me doubtfully and I held up my hands in defense. "Their bodies were made to fight this way. If you have faith in the Cullens, you should have faith in the pack."

"It's not about faith," she protested.

"Then what is it about?"

"They're strong, and fast…Victoria is vicious."

"So this is about your fear," I clarified. Bella stood up and paced to my door and back.

"Yes…no…I don't know." Her face fell into her palms.

"It's okay to be afraid," I told her softly. My tone was tender, and I schooled my face into a gentle expression. Bella's wide brown eyes looked at me, filled with her troubles and inner turmoil. "It's okay to be scared," I repeated. "It's not okay to let your fears get the best of you. You have to face what upsets you and find a way to either diminish or eradicate the fear. Bella, you have so many wonderful people in your life that are ready and willing to protect you. They even called me in to help with the entire production! No one is going to get hurt, and the battle will play out just fine. Do as Jasper and Edward ask of you and everyone will be fine."

"You don't know that," Bella protested weakly. I could see the acceptance in her eyes, though; she was letting my words sink in.

"I wouldn't lie to you," I argued back softly.

Bella wandered around the room for a little more and I set to work on the serums. When she wandered out of my room, shutting the door behind her, I lit a few candles and began the ritualistic preparation of the serums.

* * *

Hours later, I was tired, slightly sweaty, and definitely ready for a nap. As I was stepping out of the shower, Alice intercepted me to hand me the phone on my way back to my room to get dressed.

"Hello?" I asked once I had pulled on my clothes.

"Hey, Ellie!" Jacob said cheerfully over the phone. "I was just wondering if you were hungry, some of the guys are meeting up at Emily's for dinner and we wanted to invite you!"

"You mean Paul wanted to invite me?" I clarified dryly.

"Well, um…" Jacob hesitated, not wanting to out Paul, but not wanting to lie to me, either.

"Did he put you up to this?" I demanded, holding back a grin.

"Uh…"

"It's okay if he did. Yeah, I'll come tonight. Does Emily need me to bring anything?"

"Just yourself," Jacob answered, just as cheerful as before.

**And I cut it off there because the next chapter will launch right into dinner at Sam and Emily's.**

**Any questions for me so far?**

**I have some questions to anyone who would like to review:**

**How are the witchy things? Too far-fetched? I know they're a little science-y with measurements and those weird plant names...**

**Are the characters pretty much canon?**

**How does the atmosphere of the story/Eleanor's mind feel? Are the descriptions accurate enough? Is she detailed enough?**

**Are there any things you are hoping to read more about?**


	9. Confessions

**BTW-I know that Eleanor has visited Sam and Emily's house before the second time in this chapter. However, I never described it through her eyes, which I feel presents vital information. She also was in a haze on discovering more about the shifters around her and didn't really have time to take note of all of Emily's lovely decorating habits. So please just go with the added-in description :)**

**Also, this was an intense chapter for me. I'd like your opinions, and ask any questions if you don't understand anything!**

**Confessions**

Bella drove me over to Sam and Emily's house shortly before dinner time. She and Edward had made plans to do something else for the last night before they would be camping on the mountain to evade Victoria. The other Cullens were hunting again to keep their strength up.

I trudged across the lawn, still weak with fatigue, and waved at Bella as she pulled out and turned around. She waved back briefly, a worried look crossing her face before she disappeared. I turned around only to be met with Jacob's huge arms scooping me up as he twirled me in a circle. When he set me down, I was quickly picked up by Paul and embraced fiercely.

When Paul set me back down he stared into my eyes with an intensity that was slightly alarming. I gazed back silently, waiting for him to be satisfied with his inspection. When he smirked at me, I knew he wasn't worried about my clear eyes anymore. He took my hand and led me up the steps and into Sam and Emily's little house.

I wasn't sure what kind of house I expected Sam and Emily to have. Maybe I was still stuck on what I had witnessed years ago in Romania; the pack of shifters lived in modernized caves in the wilderness outside of a major city. They had several modern amenities, but it was nothing like a true house, like Sam and Emily had. Though the walls were wood and looked rough, it was obvious that they were sanded down. The floors were some kind of soft tile, and I realized belatedly it was cork. A woman's touch clearly marked the house with the cheerful decorations and fun coordinating colors. The pack all smiled welcomingly when I entered.

"Dinner's ready when you are, Eleanor," Emily smiled. She gestured to the heaping dishes of food and Paul tugged me over to the stack of plates. He handed me one wordlessly and gestured for me to take my fill. I hesitated briefly before I watched Emily begin making a plate for her and Kim. I followed Emily's lead and then hesitated again as I paused on where exactly to sit. Paul took the decision from me when he snagged my plate and a set of silverware and plopped my plate in the spot next to his. Not wanting to pick a fight on something as simple as a chair, I took the seat without a word.

Dinner was a calm affair, at which I nearly balked in surprise. I knew that the boys were normally rambunctious and slightly obnoxious around food, and I was surprised to see them passing around condiments and bread rolls with a gentle ease that spoke of restrained lunacy. There was something about Brady and Collin's too-swift movements that said they had been put up to this. I guessed that Emily was tired of the circus ring her kitchen had become at mealtimes.

Other than the calm behavior, I was surprised at how we all fit at the table. Emily's table was large, but I hadn't realized it was large enough to accommodate ten grown wolves and three imprints. I figured Emily must have had an extra leaf stashed away to elongate the table on these occasions.

"So, Eleanor," Emily began as the quiet from the boys became eerie. "What is life as a witch actually like?"

"Well," I began, shifting in my seat. I refused to admit that her question caught me off-guard, but I was definitely uncomfortable with it. "I guess just like any other life. I grew up…relatively normally. Most witches do. My childhood was only weird because I developed magic so early."

"What's considered early?" Kim asked from Jared's side. I pursed my lips.

"We specialize and are considered full grown, adult witches at eighteen. Most witches start discovering their powers at puberty-you know, twelve or so in girls."

"There are boy witches?" Embry asked with wide eyes. I shook my head.

"There have only been a few, and they weren't very strong. Most of the ones with the gift passed on before they reached adulthood."

"What about you? How old were you when you discovered your powers?" Emily asked, pulling me back to the original question. I shook my head as I searched my memories and tried to clear my head.

"I think my first discovery was four; I was marked by five."

"Marked?" Kim prodded. She and Emily were the only ones that looked confused so I took it the guys had spilled when phased. I nodded.

"I'll show you. Witch's marks represent who trained her and her own personal specialization."

"Oh," Kim said softly.

"Hey-you said your Nana and Maw-Maw had specialized. What about your mom?" Quil asked, brow furrowed.

I stiffened immediately in my seat; my fork clattered loudly against my plate. I knew that I had frozen, but I couldn't shake the tightness in my arms, restricting my movements.

"Um. Well. My mother…didn't specialize," I said softly. I took a deep breath and blew it out in a small gust. "She's actually…in disgrace."

"For not specializing?" Leah demanded, voice harsh.

"Leah," Sam warned against her tone. She merely scowled at him and turned back to me.

"Not specializing isn't just a fluke," I said softly, trying to explain to her what I had known since early childhood. "It is considered shameful to not specialize, because it is symbolic of a witch's break with nature. To not specialize is to not realize your potential. It is much like losing purpose in your life. Un-specialized witches are not ostracized, but they seclude themselves out of self-hatred. Many become shells of who they once were. Not specializing is unnatural, uncommon, and to many witches, unacceptable."

"And your mother…" Paul whispered. His statement was like a breath on air that I almost didn't hear.

"My mother is considered all of those things. I haven't seen her since I was two and a half."

I felt as though I had been babbling the whole night about my life. I knew that I had been monopolizing the conversation. They had asked, though, and I had told. I wouldn't lie to them, much as I had told Bella that I wouldn't lie to her. Paul, stiff at my side, reached over slowly and tentatively to place a warm hand on my thigh in comfort.

Dinner seemed to get awkward after my last statement. Jacob, Embry, and Quil seemed to take this as their cue to turn the conversation around to themselves and take the focus off of me. They regaled the rest of us with outlandish stories of their adventures on the motorbikes Jake and Bella had fixed up and had us in hysterics over their three-stooge like antics. When dinner was over, I stood to help clear the dishes but was stopped as Emily whisked away my plate and Paul whisked away me.

"I should go help with the dishes-," I protested.

"It's okay. We all have cleaning nights here. It's Embry and Quil's turn for kitchen duty. C'mon."

"Where are we going?"

"Just…outside."

"I don't want to."

"Too bad." Paul's tone took on a soft edge. It wasn't meant to be bossy, but it let me know that he was adamant about this. He turned to look at me when I stopped in my tracks, testing my limits with him.

"Where are you taking me, oh wise wolf of the forest?" I asked him dramatically as I hid my smile. Paul smirked.

"The beach, oh lovely witch of the city." I was delighted that he was playing along. Paul didn't come across as the playing type. "I want to show you something." His grin was rueful.

I followed willingly now, compelled to join him as he had played my game first. Give and take, that's what we were doing.

I followed Paul along the stretch of the dirt road that led to the main road, and then down the paved main road for several minutes. Luckily, Emily and Sam didn't live too far from the beach; we were there in minutes. I pushed my hair back from my eyes as the wind whipped it around my face. Paul laughed at my attempt to tame my mane, but finally just tugged me closer to the water.

The moon bleached the driftwood and the miniscule strip of sand white, and the dark waters of the ocean were an inky black. Stars illuminated the remainder of the sky; so many more than what I was able to see back home in the city. The pebbles of the beach were smooth against my feet and cool due to the temperature around us. The weather was frigid, but I couldn't resist taking off my shoes; Paul was there for warmth if I needed him, anyways.

"Look," he whispered softly, pointing out to the ocean.

For a long time, I had no idea what he was talking about. The cold wind continued to whip my long hair around us; the scent of the ocean hung in the air between us. I looked out and noticed the waves crashing gently into one another. Off in the distance, small shapes crested out of the water. For one breathtaking moment, a large, dark shape pierced the air before falling back into the ocean, kicking up a huge wave of sea foam.

"Oh," I whispered. My vocabulary evaded me. I looked to Paul's handsome face, my own pleasantly surprised.

"They aren't around every night," he explained, his voice whisper-quiet. "I had a good feeling about tonight. Sometimes, when I'm patrolling on the cliffs, I stop for a minute to watch them. The view is better up there, but I figured you wouldn't want to hike in this weather." Paul winked at me and I shivered, my body agreeing with his statement. "Let's get your shoes back on," he said softly. Before I could protest, he stooped down and rolled my socks back onto my feet, one at a time, before sliding my shoes back on. When he stood up, his grin was small.

"Thanks. You know I can put on my own shoes, right?" I asked, teasing.

"Sure, but I wanted to help," he amended. I shivered again and Paul pulled me into the circle of his arms, right against his chest. The warmth was welcome.

We stood in silence for the longest time, looking out over the waves at the whales diving back into the ocean again and again. Paul's face, strong and defined, seemed to soften little by little as he looked out over the ocean. I felt my own body relax in response to the sound of the gentle waves and Paul's strong arms around me. An overwhelming feeling of peace swept through me, leaving me breathless for what felt like the tenth time that night.

I was sad when Paul told me that it was late and we should head back to Emily and Sam's house. We turned away from the waves and started back across the beach and onto the main road. Paul scooped up my hand as we passed under the thick canopy of trees. I swung our hands lightly back and forth for a few minutes idly as I waited for Paul to say something. A niggling sense in the back of my mind told me that this fragile peace between us would not last far from the calming beach.

"Are you…when…do you know when you're going…back?" he asked. His dark eyebrows pulled together over his troubled black eyes. I looked up at his face, surprised that this would be the source of a disagreement. Did he expect me to stay here?

"I figured I would stay a few days after the battle; tie up loose ends and all, make sure everyone's okay…" My quiet voice trailed off as Paul's face crunched together; the expression was heartbreaking.

"I…um…guess it wouldn't do me any good to ask you to stay here with me," he said softly.

"Paul…" There were so many reasons that couldn't happen. I didn't know where to start. "I-you-we just met!" I burst. Paul stopped walking and I turned around to face him directly. "I'm seventeen! I'm still in high school! I'm a _witch_!" My voice was pitched high with stress, and I saw the slightest wince cross Paul's face that had nothing to do with my words. I lowered my voice back to a calm, rational level and tone. "Paul, I have to go back to New York."

"You're…a senior, right?" he asked, tense. I nodded. "So you have one more semester, right?" I nodded again. "Do you think you might want to come by for the summer? Or maybe spring break?" I would've had to have been stupid or a fool to miss the hope that laced his words, but I just couldn't lie to him. Even as practically strangers, I knew he was special-and special enough to me-to deserve the truth.

"Paul, I'm a witch," I repeated. He looked at me blankly, not understanding. "Witches have to continue training in their first few years of adulthood. When I accept my mark and specialize on the Summer Solstice this coming year, I'll be obligated to travel around the world and apprentice to other witches. I'll be gone for a year."

Paul looked at me blankly, uncomprehending, for two of the longest minutes of my life. Then, finally, realization hit him. He turned from me, ignoring my pleas for him to wait or stay or don't move, and exploded on the side of the road where we were standing. Large, wolf eyes looked back at me, filled with something I couldn't identify. He tore through the trees and after a few agonizing moments by myself, a low, mournful howl sounded through the trees.

**Okay, to those of you who review:**

**How is Paul at the moment? Too weepy/too unmanly/too not-Paul?**

**Is Eleanor's personality developing but consistent? Such as, you're learning more but her essential traits (informative, knowledgeable, warm, caring) stay in tact...**

**Would you like to see a Paul POV chapter, or would that disrupt the storyline too much? (I could always do an outtake, or a bonus as a separate story link)**

**Thanks guys! Hope to see some reviews with questions/answers for me :)**


	10. Relative Resolution

**Relative Resolution**

I stayed on the side of the road for a while. It seemed longer than it actually was, I knew. It was only minutes before Embry was calling my name, the sound bouncing around the forest as he ran to me.

"Eleanor! Ellllllieeeee!" he bellowed into the still night air. I was shivering by the time he got to me. Paul's warmth was long gone. "Hey," he breathed, relieved. He pulled me into his side. "You okay?"

"I upset Paul," I informed him quietly, stiffly. Embry dropped his arm but stayed tight to my side to make sure I stayed warm. I turned my head to look up into his kind brown eyes. "Didn't I?"

"Well…yeah," Embry admitted, not daring to lie to my fierce expression. He sighed and shook out his hair. "Look, let's get you back, you're freezing!" I didn't miss that he didn't comment on the topic, or even offer words of comfort or assurances that Paul was okay. He wouldn't lie to me, and I knew that I had messed up big time. There were better ways of handling situations like that, I knew.

I followed Embry as he trudged through the trees, taking a shorter walk to Emily's. He pointed out rocks and held back branches for me, but his hand didn't grip my elbow to guide me like Paul's had the other night. I missed it.

Most of the pack had already dispersed, and only Emily, Sam, Jacob, and Quil remained. Embry had been patrolling when he had ended up searching for me. Paul had taken his place to run patrol, to "blow off some steam and just try not to think about you leaving." Quil's words were punctuated by a loud smack to the back of his head, courtesy of Sam. I smiled faintly, but my eyes didn't move from where they were fixed on Emily's rustic tribal coffee table.

"Don't be upset," Emily said soothingly. Her long fingers stroked through my hair absently. "Paul will be okay."

"He won't be. When I leave," I told her softly. My eyes didn't stray from the coffee table and my voice was very soft. I was surprised she could even hear me. "He'll be in pain all the time when I leave. I know how imprints work, Emily." She hushed me and wrapped her arms around me. I meant to move, to accept her embrace, but I found it impossible. How many other things would I ruin before I left La Push and Forks? I had already ruined Paul's happiness and our imprint. Would I ruin the drops and serums? Would I ruin Emily or Kim's imprints as well? Would I be the one to blame for one of the wolves dying if I weren't there in time?

Questions bombarded me through the night. Jacob, Quil, and Embry all left at some point. Emily fixed up her guest bedroom for me, but I found it difficult to move from the sofa. Sam ended up carrying me to the little bedroom and tucking me under the covers as if I were four years old. A part of me hated it and a part of me didn't mind in the least.

* * *

In the morning, Emily was up early and Jacob was hanging around in the kitchen waiting to take me back to the "crypt" for me to get my witch things. I would be spending the night at Emily and Sam's again. As I packed up the completed serums and drops into my little wooden box, I sighed heavily and glared moodily at the heirloom. The box had been passed down for generations in my family, and so held a little bit of special magic on its own from the diverse use. The wood seemed to tingle on my fingertips as I slowly ran them across the carvings.

Jacob's sharp whistle from outside let me know that he was getting nervous that I was taking so long. I hurriedly shut the lid to the box and shoved it into my refreshed duffel bag and clambered anxiously down the stairs, passing three Cullens on my way. Bella was just at the front door, waiting for me with a smile. I stopped abruptly, something she wasn't expecting, and pointed my index finger at her fiercely. Something about the air around her felt…foreboding? Murky? Whatever it was, it didn't feel good.

"Stay out of trouble," I warned her for good measure, narrowing my eyes. Her chocolate brown eyes widened and her thin dark eyebrows arched upwards. "I mean it. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

And then I was out of the door and in Jacob's car and he was speeding away, rubbing his nose fiercely and non-stop as he did so. He hit the accelerator as soon as we were on the highway and sped towards La Push.

"So," Jacob said as he eased off the gas and shifted gears. He was relaxed in his car, as per usual, and had a warm coke waiting in the cup holder for me. I smiled and popped the tab open and offered him the first sip. "Paul's done with patrol. I think he's sleeping now. Do you want to go over and see him?"

"Nope," I said easily. I didn't even have to think about my answer. One, there was no way I was going to disturb him while he was getting rest, he would need that for the battle. Two, I couldn't stand the thought of looking at him and seeing disappointment or hate or revulsion for the imprint in his eyes. Even bitterness would be too harsh. I was dealing with the unexpected imprint in the best way that I could, but I knew that it wasn't good enough and I didn't know how to fix it. Paul needed me here, but I needed to be across the country; there was no winning outcome.

I could tell that Jacob thought this refusal was silly and childish, but I didn't care.

When we pulled up to Emily's, I immediately went to the guest room that had been labeled mine for the time being and set up shop. I lined up the small bottles of drops and the little glass pots along the windowsill and obsessively made sure they were at an equal distance apart. Jacob, Embry, and Quil watched me fuss about with other little trinkets that I couldn't live without; my dreamcatcher, a small silver compass, a unique rock/crystal collection… It wasn't much overall, but it made me feel more at home and in my element. The three of them chuckled quietly but didn't speak until I was satisfied with myself and sat in a cushy chair near the window.

"So, what is all of this?" Quil asked as he reached for the sapphire blue drops.

"No!" I told him quickly, plucking the small glass bottle from his huge hands quickly. "You do_ not_ want to use these the day before the battle. Maybe some other time."

"Why? What does it do?" Jacob asked, bending over to curiously inspect the contents. "It's all…swirly."

"I'll show you later," I explained, rolling my eyes as I replaced the bottle delicately back onto the windowsill.

"What's this?" Quil asked, picking up the silver compass. I winced and he replaced it with a dull _clank_ to the dresser immediately and pointing accusingly at Embry. I rolled my eyes heavenward at the childish gesture but found myself giggling after the thought of it. Quil just didn't realize how delicate all of my things were, and he was like a bull in a china cabinet-all the excitement with none of the gentleness.

"Boys!" Emily called. "Lunch is ready!"

Within two seconds, the guys were gone, leaving me alone in my room. I grinned at their speedy exit and made to follow them before I was stopped in the doorway by a tall, dark, and handsome figure.

Paul.

"Um. Hello," I squeaked awkwardly. Paul's warm dark eyes looked down at me, amused, as he stepped closer to me, nearly pressing our chests together. I took two stumbling, clumsy steps back, not expecting his advancement.

"Hello," Paul said with a naughty grin. I felt my eyes pop wide at his expression and felt the backs of my knees hit the bed. I hadn't even realized he had been backing me up.

"Um, hello," I said. Paul laughed this rich, deep laugh that made me smile faintly.

"You already said that, Eleanor," he grinned. I quirked my lips to the side as I plopped down on the bed. Paul sat beside me.

"I guess I did."

"Yep."

There was a long, intense silence. Luckily, it wasn't too uncomfortable. It was hard for me to feel completely uncomfortable with Paul; it was that weird imprint bond magic. Sure, I could feel awkward, but uncomfortable…not so much.

"I'm sorry," we said together.

"Oh, well…ladies first," Paul offered, gesturing to me with a very faint blush. I tucked my hair behind my left ear nervously.

"I was…apologizing…for my behavior last night. I could have been more…kind about telling you."

"Oh, you didn't do anything wrong!" Paul assured me with a fierce head shake. "I really just overreacted, which is why _I'm_ sorry. I had no reason or right to blow up like that; you have your own life, and I have to let you live it." I opened my mouth to protest, but Paul's next words came out in a rush. "I want you to be happy, Eleanor. Just happy. If living in New York while finishing up senior year is what is going to make you happy, I'm all for it! If it makes you happy to train to be a witch all around the world, I want you to do it. This imprint is not going to change the normality of your life or your schedule. It just means you have one more friend in this world. I'm going to be the best friend you've ever had. I promise. If that means that I see you once a year on Christmas and you do your own thing for the other 364 days of the year, then that's okay. This is about your happiness, not about what I want."

"No," I said, shaking my head. I felt my brow furrow as I caught up to what he was saying; his physical beauty-those eyes! those teeth!-had distracted me for a moment. "Paul, this imprint is not one-sided. It is not only about my happiness-." He cut me off.

"You're right. This is also about your safety…"

"It's not_ just _about _my_ happiness," I spoke over him, drowning out whatever other tangent he was about to go off on. "It's about you, too. It isn't fair to you that I have all of these stupid responsibilities. It's not right to stay away from you for months or years at a time. An imprint is about _partnership_. It's not just friendship or relationship-it's a partnership. We have to work together on this. It's about _both_ of us. Yes, we will have to compromise, but you aren't going to be the only one. We are going to work this out for both of us."

Paul seemed at a loss, not knowing how to take what I had said. I guessed that he had come into this expecting to wait on me hand and foot like a princess. I wasn't going to lie-that _would _be nice-but I didn't want him to feel like we weren't equals.

"Hey, Paul, Jake's eating all the hotdogs!" Seth called with a grin from the doorway. He waved at me. "Hey, Ellie."

"Look, we can talk more later. I'm not hopping on a flight back to New York after one conversation, okay? Go eat," I laughed, pushing his shoulder good-naturedly. Paul grinned at me, hauled me to my feet, and pulled me to follow him to the kitchen, where he plopped me down on his lap and ate around me as easy as if the awkward position were his normal one.

Imprints. Go figure.


	11. The Battle

**I'd like to apologize for this chapter being so late... I don't have an update schedule for my stories because I really only write when I can, but this took an obnoxiously long time to update. Thank you to all who have reviewed, favorited, and followed-you are all so amazing and helpful. I love long, beautiful reviews in which you tell me your favorite parts and talk about things you would like to see, so keep that in mind as you're reading. Believe it or not, when I get reviews, I tend to update faster because I feel more motivated and inspired when I know people like what they're reading.**

**Without further ado, the intense battle...**

**The Battle**

I woke up at Emily's to find the majority of the pack already gone. Jacob had spent the night at a campsite with Edward and Bella and Seth had already started his run up to relieve Jacob. Though the sun was barely rising, the house was full of motion. Emily busied herself with fussing over breakfast for Sue and Billy while Sam hovered behind her, anxious to leave her alone. Jared and Paul were the only others present in the house, though I could see Brady and Collin outside on the front porch, chowing down on a huge plate of food, courtesy of Emily's nerves.

I walked purposely over to Emily and grabbed the spatula from her frantic hands. She stopped and looked at me and her shoulders dropped, defeated. I moved her pan onto a different burner and tossed the spatula to the side as I placed both of my hands on her shoulders calmly.

"Listen, Emily. They know what they're doing. I'm here to care for anyone who comes home injured. I am capable of doing so. Every single one of them is coming home, because it's on Carlisle and Sam. Neither would leave a wolf behind, alright? Now you need to sit down and relax, because you're shaking up Billy and Sue."

Miraculously, my nonsense soothed Emily enough to the point where she could collapse on an armchair and give Sam one last kiss. Paul awkwardly stood at my right side; I could tell he wasn't entirely sure what to do.

"That was nice of you," he said finally. Sam and Jared had already jogged over to the tree line and Brady and Collin were leaving their dishes on the table and running back out. Paul was running out of time. "Um…just, stay safe, Eleanor. I guess…do your thing, but…try to stay in the house if you can." Paul ran his hand through my semi-long hair once and then hugged me tightly by my side quickly before scampering off after his packmates.

Collin and Brady stuck close to the tree line for a few minutes to accustom me to their figures until they moved around the house and then the reservation to make sure no vampires slipped through the cracks. For the longest time, the four of us in the house sat in silence, waiting for some telling sign of action. Before long, a soft howl pierced the air, and I realized the wolves had found their intended prey. Emily cringed into a fluffy pillow she was huddled around and Sue and Billy flinched from their seats on the sofa. Sue, I noted, closed her eyes and moved her lips silently; I guessed she was praying to some higher power to keep her children safe.

I wandered slowly around the house, doing my best not to disturb anything around me, or the three quiet Quileutes in the other room. Emily and Sam had filled their house with pictures and I comforted myself by looking at the people and places in each framed photo.

Photos only took so long to look at, though, and without the stories that accompanied the moments caught on camera, it seemed wasteful and invasive to look at the pictures. My time would be better spent re-organizing my supplies, not standing in Emily's hallway looking at her family and friends. I made my way to the guest room and gathered the possible potions I would need and lined them up on the kitchen counter. After that, I paced the kitchen two times and then settled myself in the den with the others. The four of us listlessly stared at different elements of the room. The TV and radio remained off so that we might hear a howl or sounds of attack.

After a couple of hours of silence, we fell into a lull of slight relaxation. Sue and Billy had slouched from their previously ramrod straight postures, and I had curled up on the armchair and under an afghan.

A sudden lurch in my stomach had me immediately on my feet and out the door into the crisp afternoon weather. It was strange for Forks that there was no rain and hardly humidity-but it had snowed the night before. A light powdery covering dusted the ground and turned parts of the green trees white. The front yard looked like something out of a postcard.

Though I had shoes and socks on, my cami and sweatpants hardly cut it for the low temperatures. I comforted myself with the knowledge that newborn vampires were dying. I reminded myself that I was most one with nature when my tattoo was exposed to the elements-that meant there would be no sweater for me, no matter how much Emily and Sue insisted.

As I waited for action and sat on the porch steps, I brooded over my abilities. The niggling doubt that something would go wrong and I would not be able to fix it saturated my thoughts like poison and threatened to pull my confidence in myself completely.

I knew that being a witch in the world I lived in would be hard. I realized that actually engaging in magic would be even more difficult. From the beginning, I had been warned how life as a witch was a blessing and a curse. The warning from my grandmother had never seemed real to me; even as a child while learning spells, I had pictured an idyllic life. I imagined living in a cottage in the forest, helping the passerby, making a living off of making extracts and healing salves. The burden of my power had not yet fully settled on my shoulders. Despite my maturity in some areas, I realized that I was still little more than a child myself. Death and war had not been a part of my life. Sure, my parents weren't around and yes, I had witnessed violence between witches before, but death and destruction had never been directly related to me before.

I could feel Emily's eyes on me from her kitchen window. Sue bustled around with renewed vigor, Billy was at the table, but Emily remained still, her eyes focused on the exposed mark on my left shoulder. The weight of her expectations was stunning. The well-being of the pack was no longer just on them as a group; I had begun to shoulder part of that burden. If one of them were harmed, it would be up to me to make it all better.

Playing doctor had never been one of my favorites as a child.

I watched the leaves on the trees change from bright, jade green and emerald to a softer, muted hue. As the sun began to set, the howling started.

My eyes turned anxiously back to Emily's face. Her anxiety matched mine, and we stared at each other, suddenly imprints hoping that it was a false alarm, that everything was okay. Emily suddenly looked past me, into the trees, waiting for someone to appear. Brady and Collin would know what was happening, they could warn me who was hurt and how badly. I stood and moved towards the tree line with long, purposeful strides.

The rustling in the bushes caught my attention. In place of a tall, tanned, shirtless Quileute, I was met with a short girl with pale skin and blood-red eyes. The scarlet orbs tracked the movements of my fingers as they twisted nervously. My heartbeat filled my ears, and as her tongue wet her lips, I released a keening scream.

My last coherent thought was that I was really going to miss my life.

* * *

Everything became a complete mess. My thoughts, so orderly before, scattered. What I had left of my senses fled, and all I could see, all I could focus on, were the red, red eyes staring at me from a pretty face.

She stalked towards me, hungry and no doubt smelling my blood with my shirt-or lack thereof-exposing my neck and pulse so plainly. As she advanced, she reached for me and grabbed my throat, cutting off my keening wail. Her face, pretty as it was, twisted into a horrifying mask of indifference and hunger. The coldness in her eyes was alarming, and the coldness of her petite body was chilling.

She flicked me to the ground with a minute movement of her wrist, and yet I went careening into the nearest tree. Bark slammed into my back, jolting me out of my haze and confusion. I examined her briefly and snapped back into my reality. I debated on the most likely way to get out of this spat alive, or relatively unharmed.

Burning her on the spot would be too consuming a spell, and that was assuming she would hold still while I performed it. I had never tried to make anything explode intentionally before, so that was out as well. The only spell that I thought could somehow help me would be a pain-inducing spell that would create an illusion of pain so strong, she would be unable to move. My morals, though, as deep as they ran in me, balked at the idea of a spell as dark and harmful as that one.

In the time it had taken me to run through the possibilities, the vampire was already in front of me and grabbing me by my hair. She moved me as easily as if I were a rag doll and tossed me into the open field that was Emily's front yard. I cringed and ran my hand along my tender scalp, temporarily forgetting the ideas of spells and morals and anything that went with staying alive. My scalp burned and stung from the pulling and I already felt weak and abused.

The sickening snap caught my attention and brought back my keening, wailing screech. At that noise, Collin and Brady exploded into the yard on opposite sides, with me stuck in the middle.

My right leg hung at a sickening angle as I attempted to move it. The newborn vampire above me smiled a sinister, haunting smirk before I shut my eyes, praying that death would come quickly. Collin and Brady obviously didn't want to accidently hurt me in the process of killing her, and I could understand that…I guess.

Pain thrummed through every vein of my body, singing its bite and sting and burn into my every pore. I felt the pain in my leg radiating all the way from my toes to the still-tingling roots of my hair. Everything hurt. Tears leaked from my eyes as I smelled and felt the vampire's cool breath on my face as she hovered closer to my exposed neck. Dimly, I registered that I was cold. In the face of death, it shouldn't have mattered much, but it bothered me immensely. Since I had met the pack and Paul in particular, I was always, always warm. The cold touched a part of me that ached for Paul and his comforting presence.

A sudden _whoosh_ above me made the adrenaline surge, and I felt weaker than ever as I slowly staggered to a sitting position. The metallic screech of a vampire being torn to pieces relieved me so much that I fell back onto the snowy ground, completely content. The adrenaline and shock tapered off as I heard warm voices and strong hands pick me up and carry me away and I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	12. Waking Up

**Chapter 11 at long last! Just a little note: the dialogue at the beginning of this chapter is not supposed to make sense...Eleanor was only semi-conscious. What sounds like two people could be four people, or vice-versa. The conversation before she opens her eyes is literally what she is hearing herself, but as there are no speaker tags, she's not distinguishing characters.**

**On another note; comments are helpful and appreciated! Thank you to all who reviewed so far! They keep me writing and happy :)**

** The action will be picking up again quite soon, too!**

**Waking Up**

"Eleanor? Eleanor, can you hear me?"

"She's passed out."

"Is she…breathing?"

"Calm down."

"She can hear us."

"Can she really?"

"She's so still."

"Did the doctor give her anything?"

"He doesn't know what's in her system, so he said he can't give her any of his drugs. He's waiting for her grandmother to call back."

"What can she do from New York?"

"Tell him what to give her from what she has maybe? There's no telling."

"Should we try to wake her up?"

"No, she'll be okay."

"Paul's dying."

"This is killing him."

"He's fine. It's just the worry. Emily's taking care of him."

"It was a close one. If Brady hadn't lunged…"

"Let's not discuss what might or might not have happened, eh, Quil?"

"I'm just saying…it could have been a lot worse."

"Has she moved at all since I left?"

"Doctor Cullen."

"Sam. Jacob. Can we clear out the room a little, please? Eleanor is looking flushed now."

"You heard the doctor. Get out."

"You don't have to snap, Jacob."

"They wouldn't get out if I didn't, _Sam_."

"Enough. Can't you hear her heartbeat? You're upsetting her."

"Sorry, doc."

Small things began coming in to focus. Light, feathery brushes of something cold against my leg were the first sensations other than hearing what was going on around me. The soft brushes tickled me, and I attempted to move my leg away from the tickling.

Big mistake. Jolts of super-charged lightning bolts of pain shot up through my nerves, pulling me out of whatever haze I had been in for however long I was out. I coughed as I spluttered to scream, but choked myself off when I saw that it was Carlisle at my feet, Sam and Jacob hovering almost menacingly over him, as he attempted to place a splint on my leg.

"Eleanor," Carlisle said quietly, calmly. I could tell immediately that he was trying not to upset me. "Are you in pain?" he asked me gently. I winced and nodded as his fingers put the barest of pressure on my right leg. Looking down, I saw that my leg was at an odd angle about halfway down my shin, and completely purple around the angle of bones. I winced again as Carlisle pulled his cool hands away.

"Where's Paul?" I wondered in a soft, hoarse voice.

"He couldn't really be around you when you started screaming. We had Embry and Seth take him outside," Sam explained to me. I mentally attacked Sam's explanation; of course they would have the two calmest, easygoing wolves take the most volatile shifter away from his injured imprint.

"I want him here right now, please," I told them simply. There was no room for an argument in my tone; Sam immediately left the guest room to fetch Paul.

"Eleanor, is there anything that you've made that can help me heal you at this point? Can I use any of the serums on you?"

My brow furrowed as I thought over his question. Technically, there was something that could be done, but it was really supposed to be done by another witch. I could try to do it myself, but I wasn't sure I had the stomach to set my own broken leg. Strength and determination to that degree would not be my forte.

Paul walked into the room, his dark skin unusually pale and his dark eyes wide and scared. He immediately walked to my side and knelt down and took my hand into both of his. His posture was reminiscent of a mourner at a funeral and I tugged him quickly to his feet. With Paul's warmth and steady hand in mine, I grit my teeth and pointed at a small vial with a navy blue liquid inside. Carlisle fetched the serum quickly and placed it in my waiting palm. I let go of Paul's hand to unstop the bottle and dripped a couple of drops on my fingertips.

The serum was slimy between my fingers, and I tentatively stretched over to rub it into the skin on my leg. I grit my teeth against the pain and relaxed a little as my leg slowly went numb. My eyes shut in bliss from the absence of pain. The serum was really too strong for my body; it had been made for Collin, Brady, or Leah, but the immediate relief cancelled out any qualms I had with an overdose of the magical substance.

"Are you alright?" Carlisle asked seriously. Slowly, with my eyes still shut, I nodded carefully.

"I'm numb. You can set the bone now."

"Bones," he corrected automatically as he began to work on my leg. Even his cool touch was lost to the numbing serum. I felt absolutely nothing on my right leg. Paul took my hand immediately and began murmuring into my ear quietly, recounting everything that had happened. His news report calmed me, and I relaxed against the pillows as I listened to his story.

"Brady got that bloodsucker off of you and he and Collin chased it through the forest to me and Leah. We managed to tear it apart, but we all knew you were hurt. By the time we got back to you, you had passed out. I saw your leg was all weird, and I carried you inside. Emily and Leah and Sue took you into the other room and took off your sweatpants. We called Dr. Cullen to come see you. You've been pretty out of it. Whenever any of us tried to touch you, you screamed. I think you were in pain. Embry and Seth took me outside when I started to shake. I felt so helpless, staring at you without any way of helping."

Paul's little monologue kept me from thinking about what Carlisle was doing. As a result, when he stood and mentioned that he would have to take me to the hospital to finish treating me, I was surprised. Paul, though, scooped me up without any effort at all and carried me through Emily and Sam's house without a problem. When we got to the front yard and Carlisle's sleek black Mercedes, Paul placed me in the backseat and slid in next to me as if he rode in vampire's cars all the time. He took deep breaths the whole twenty-minute ride to the hospital, and I was astounded at his self-control in a small enclosed space with a vampire that I knew he hated.

Carlisle led the way through the E.R. and back into his private office. Paul set me on the cleared desk in a sitting position while Carlisle gathered supplies. When he returned, Paul was leaning against the desk next to me, allowing me to lean on him for support. Paul watched Carlisle set my broken leg and then put a cast on it.

"I feel horrible," Carlisle murmured as he set up a pair of crutches for me.

"Why?" I asked, bewildered.

"The whole battle went without a hitch. Everyone came out just fine, except for you. The only one who couldn't defend herself." Carlisle shook his head, troubled. I placed a hand on his shoulder and he looked up at me curiously.

"Carlisle, I don't care that I got hurt. I came here to help, and even though I didn't really have a major part in this, I did it knowing that me getting hurt was a definite possibility. It's not your fault for bringing me here, it's not anyone's fault for that girl getting through. I've had other injuries dealing with the supernatural before, and believe me, a broken leg is nothing close to what could have happened."

Carlisle smiled, ruffled my hair, and passed me the crutches.

"Let's give these a try," he suggested. I took the crutches from his hands and hopped carefully off of his desk. Paul was ready and alert beside me, waiting to catch me if I fell.

I swung gently on the crutches and took a few steps in them. They were awkward and not comfortable by any means, but they were handy enough and let me walk, so I wasn't complaining. The only bad thing was that I would have to tell my grandmother, and she wouldn't be happy.

"Alright, that's enough. You don't want to wear yourself out, Eleanor," Paul advised me. I could detect a slight note of apprehension in his voice, and I wondered what had him so anxious.

"What's the matter?" I asked as I balanced on my left foot and held the crutches in front of me.

"You'll get tired if you do that too much. Maybe I should carry you back to the car."

"I can walk, Paul. I broke a leg, not my spine."

"_Correction_: a _vampire_ broke your leg," he growled out. I rolled my eyes at that insignificant detail (insignificant because my leg was broken, no matter whose fault it technically was) and shook my head as I crutched out of Dr. Cullen's office and down the hallway, looking for an exit. Paul's warmth followed me but he didn't say anything until we were outside under the car cover. The rotating doors swished by and Carlisle walked out and smiled.

"Thanks, Carlisle, for patching me up. I think I'll spend tonight at your house, if that's okay. It would be better for you to be able to monitor my pain levels, right?"

"I would think so, yes; as long as Paul and Sam are in agreement with that arrangement."

"Sam's fine with whatever. And Paul will live," I said, reining in the urge to roll my eyes. Paul didn't own me. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" I asked him. He nodded stiffly, his jaw tight, and I realized that he was pissed. I sighed and felt myself relax a little and I leaned against my crutches as we stood there. Carlisle murmured that he was going to bring the car around to get me.

"I'm sorry," I said once Carlisle was gone. "I can see that it bugs you I'm going back to the Cullens', but I might need pain medicine, and Carlisle will have the strong stuff. I need to rest up, and I don't want to intrude on Sam and Emily tonight. I know I'm going to be uncomfortable as it is, I don't need to worry them after this battle with my presence."

Paul's jaw released a little, but his frown was still etched across his face like stone. At least he saw my point.

"Make sure the boys don't get into any of my things-I _will_ be able to tell and they'll most _definitely_ regret it." I winked. Paul's angry, stony face dropped into a smile. I felt my own face crack into one as well just as Carlisle pulled up and came around to help me into the passenger seat.

"Eleanor?" Paul asked. I rolled down the window and pulled the car door shut. Carlisle walked around to the driver's side and pointedly ignored Paul and me while we spoke.

"Yes?" I asked. The look in his eyes was unfamiliar to me, and it bothered me that I couldn't place it.

"Let's hang out tomorrow, just you and me. We can do whatever we want, but…just the two of us." His suggestion was not demanding in the slightest with his soft, pleading tone, and I found myself nodding without realizing it. Paul's face lit up in delight.

"Yeah, okay. Just the two of us. Pick me up at eleven in the morning," I agreed.

Carlisle pulled away, and Paul's smile didn't fade.


End file.
